Hawaiian Grog Coffee Cake

This recipe was inspired by Lola Savannah’s flavored coffee, Hawaiian Grog. Since Easter weekend is coming up, and I’m sure a few people will be hosting or attending a brunch, it seems like a good time to share it.

Like some other recipes I’ve posted, this one is a bit labor intensive if all the components are made at once. But it’s easy to do the separate parts in advance then assemble on the day you want to bake. Refrigeration will be required until you’re ready to put the coffee cake together, so allow yourself enough time to bring things to room temp before baking. It’s easier to spread everything around the pan if it’s not stiff with cold.

For those who want to stretch this recipe over a couple of days, here’s the recommended order. Make the crumb topping first. It doesn’t contain any raw eggs so sitting covered in the refrigerator for a couple of days won’t cause any harm. Do the filling and the batter the day before baking, or just combine the batter’s dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients on baking day. It’s a quick bread (or cake) recipe so there is no waiting for yeast to rise.

Here is a recommendation for the coffee flavor. You can certainly use good old basic instant coffee granules such as Folgers, Taster’s Choice or a store brand. If you already have one of those in your kitchen don’t make a special trip. Just put in a tbsp instead of a tsp. The granules of regular instant coffee are much larger and less concentrated than instant espresso. Where do you find instant espresso? If it’s not in the coffee/tea isle of your favorite store, check the foreign food isle – Italian section. King Arthur Flour also carries it.

Not feeling Hawaiian Grog? It’s difficult for me to imagine, but macadamia nuts and coconut don’t thrill everyone. Leave them out and go with a tiramisu slant instead. Substitute mascarpone cheese for cream cheese. Like hazelnut coffee? Make the recipe mostly as written and put hazelnuts on the cake. If coffee isn’t your thing, but you adore chocolate, put ¼ - ¾ c. cocoa in the batter. (The amount depends on how dark you like it.) One tbsp. of cocoa in the crumb topping should be enough. Go one step further and make it chocolate-hazelnut (or use your favorite nut). Like fruit and want to get fancier? (Maybe mimosas are being served?) Choose your favorite flavor for the cake. Make a compote or spread your favorite jam over the cream cheese filling. Now you have a pretty, and tasty, ribbon of color in the middle of your cake. This is a versatile recipe. Experiment and let me know what you did with it.

Crumb Topping

½ c. Brown Sugar

½ c. Flour

1 tsp. Instant Espresso

¼ c. Butter, solid (can be allowed to warm a bit but don’t melt. You want crumbs, not paste.)

Combine the dry ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Cut in the butter until you have pea-sized crumbs. Some bigger and smaller crumbs are OK. (Butter can be cut in with a pastry cutter, but a strong fork and knife work too.) When ready to put over the cake batter, sprinkle ½ c. coconut and 4-5 oz. macadamia nuts on first.

Filling

8 oz. Cream Cheese, softened

1 Egg

1-2 tbsp. Dark Rum (or 1 tsp. of your preferred extract)

¼ c. cane sugar

Place all ingredients in a bowl and go to town with a hand or stand mixer. Don’t stress if you have some small lumps of cheese.

Cake Batter

2 ½ c. All-Purpose Flour

1 ½ c. Brown Sugar

½ tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Instant Espresso

2 tsp. Baking Powder

½ tsp. Baking Soda

2/3 c. Butter, softened

2 Eggs

1 1/3 c. Buttermilk

Pre-heat the oven to 350°. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9” x 13” baking pan. (Spray oil is easy.)

Confession time here. I’m often a lazy baker, and quick breads and some cakes can be simplified when you have power tools. If I’m time-crunched or just not in the mood to fuss with sifting or beating, this is what I do. All the dry ingredients go into a mixing bowl. I stir them about to make sure they’re blended. Then all the wet ingredients go into the bowl, and the hand mixer comes out to play. Blend enough to mix, but don’t overwork the batter.

To assemble the cake, pour half of the batter in the pan. Spread the filling over it and cover with the remaining batter. After topping the cake with the coconut, nuts and crumbs, bake for 35-40 minutes. Test the center with a toothpick and remove from the oven when it comes out clean.

You won’t want to cut into it the moment it comes out of the oven, but it can be enjoyed while still warm. In the event that the cake isn’t consumed at one meal, I recommend keeping it refrigerated until gone, because of the cream cheese filling. It’s still delicious even when cold.

The Project Queen