The Violet-Hued Treats at This Filipino Bakery in Woodside Get Their Royal Coloring from Purple Yam

This month, we're proud to present the Bread & Grains issue—dedicated to all manner of doughs, dosas and baked desserts made in Queens. To coincide with the print issue (you'll be able to pick up a print copy very soon!), every weekday throughout the month of February, we're featuring a different bakery in the borough. Some are old standbys, and some are new and on the rise, but each one reflects the diverse and independent spirit of Queens.

This Woodside bakery makes no bones about their affinity for violet, but you won’t find artificial food coloring amongst their primary stable of supplies. Their eye-catching sweets owe their enchanting unicorn hue to ube—otherwise known as purple yam—an utterly Instagrammable ingredient that’s helped attract attention to Filipino cuisine. Popular pinoy desserts are obvious subjects for the ube treatment, such as halo halo (a shaved ice sundae), ensamayada (soft, filled sweet breads) and leche flan (sporting a bottom layer of royal purple cake). But they’re hardly the only way to say a resounding yes to yam. Look for pansy-shaded cupcakes, mauve Bundt cakes, elaborately decorated layer cakes, baked and coconut flaked doughnuts and amethyst crinkle cookies, flavored with ube and pandan.

98-14 Metropolitan Ave., Woodside
718.830.3838