Bready or Not: Irish Coffee Coffee Cake
Irish Coffee Coffee Cake! Yes, the word “Coffee” is intentionally in this recipe’s name twice. That’s because it’s a coffee cake that includes coffee, and also a nip of whiskey, because why not?
I can tell you why the whiskey should be there–because it adds a fresh zip of flavor to an already delicious cake.
This is a recipe that take some effort. It dirties a lot of dishes. However, it’s also a special cake that looks and tastes like it required that extra effort.
Really, this is a cake to make to impress guests or for a brunch or a birthday or holiday event. I’m posting it over a week in advance of St. Patrick’s Day so that some folks can perhaps throw it together this weekend! Note that this cake freezes very well, too.
When I do recipes that include alcohol, I inevitably get asked: what did you use? Also, I don’t drink, can I omit the alcohol? To the first question, I used Green Spot whiskey, which is my personal favorite. As to the second, I haven’t tried the recipe without whiskey, but I imagine it would be just fine, especially if you like a strong coffee flavor.
Baking the cake as described below, the result is a lofty, spongy cake with a zing of whiskey and a deep coffee flavor. The moist crumb is a lovely contrast to the crumble layers through the middle and on top.
Modified from Bake from Scratch Jan/Feb 2019 issue.
Bready or Not: Irish Coffee Coffee Cake
Equipment
- 9-inch square pan
- food processor
- offset spatula
Ingredients
Irish Whiskey Streusel
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- 2 teaspoons espresso powder
- 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons cold unsalted butter cubed
- 1 Tablespoon Irish whiskey
Coffee Cake
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 cube, softened
- 1 cup white sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2/3 cup whole buttermilk or soured milk, see note
- 1/3 cup Irish whiskey
- 2 Tablespoons espresso powder
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a food processor, pulse together the flour, brown sugar, espresso powder, and salt. Drop in the butter and whiskey, and pulse again until it forms pea-sized crumbs. Chill mix in fridge. Note that the streusel can be made a day ahead of the rest of the cake.
- Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line a 9-inch square pan with foil to extend up all four sides. Apply nonstick spray.
- In a large bowl, beat butter and white sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time.
- In another bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a different bowl, combine the buttermilk/soured milk, whiskey, espresso powder, and vanilla, stirring gently until the espresso powder is dissolved and not clumpy.
- Gradually mix the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients into the butter and sugar, alternating back and forth, until everything is combined.
- Spoon about half the batter into the prepared pan; batter will be thick, and an offset spatula will make it easier to even out. Sprinkle half the streusel mix over the batter. Dollop on the remaining batter and even out again. Crumble the rest of the streusel over the top.
- Bake about 40 to 45 minutes, until the middle of the cake passes the toothpick test. Cool completely in pan. Use the foil to lift it onto a cutting board to slice.
- Cake pieces keep well in sealed container at room temperature for at least 3 days. Pieces can also be wrapped up and frozen for later enjoyment.
OM NOM NOM!
Notes
Bready or Not: Irish Apple Cake
I’ve posted many different recipes for apple cake. This Irish Apple Cake uses a 9-inch round cake pan with layers of cake, apple, and streusel.
This isn’t a light, airy cake. It’s dense and moist. It’s a cake that is ideally paired with tea, coffee, or hot cider.
It’s not heavily sweet, either, but the sweetness that is there arises from the apple and that wonderful crumble topping.
The big thing that sets this cake apart from other recipes is that you do experience the textural variations between the layers. It really reminds me of my family favorite Caramel Apple Pie in that regard.
This cake is best eaten fresh, but fear not! If you freeze it when it’s fresh, it will be wonderfully preserved for later on. Just eat it right after it’s thawed.
Modified from a Gemma Stafford recipe in Food Network Magazine, March 2021.
Bready or Not: Irish Apple Cake
Equipment
- 9-inch cake pan
Ingredients
Streusel
- 6 Tablespoons cold butter
- 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup rolled oats
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- pinch salt
Cake
- 1/2 cup salted butter 1 stick
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- pinch salt
- 3 Tablespoons milk
- 3 medium baking apples such as Fuji or Granny Smith, peeled and thinly sliced
- confectioners' sugar for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line a 9-inch cake pan with foil and apply nonstick spray or butter.
- Make the streusel first. Dice up the butter in a medium bowl. Add the flour, oats, sugar, and salt. Using fingers, compress and break apart the butter into small crumbs distributed throughout the dry mix. Set the bowl in fridge to chill while assembling the cake.
- Cream the butter and white sugar until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and eggs.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet along with the milk. Once everything is just mixed, pour it into the prepared pan. Place the apple slices one at a time to form an even layer. Sprinkle the streusel on top and even it out.
- Bake the cake until the top is golden, about 60 to 70 minutes. The middle should pass the toothpick test. Let cool at room temperature, eventually placing in fridge to speed the process, if desired.
- Cut into 1/8ths. Top pieces with sprinkled confectioners’ sugar to make it even more pretty. The cake is best eaten fresh, but pieces can also be individually frozen the day of baking for a delicious treat later.
OM NOM NOM!
Rhysling Nominated Poems from 2021
Each year, members of SFPA (Science Fiction & Fantasy Poetry Association) nominate what they consider to be the best poems of the past year. Works are divided into two categories, short (under 50 lines) and long (above 50 lines). I’m honored this year to have FOUR nominated poems, two in each category, and all of them can be read online!
Within a few months, they’ll also be published in the SFPA Rhysling Anthology that members read before voting for their top poems (I actually won in 2019!). This will also be available for the public to buy from sites such as Amazon.
Here are my nominated poems:
SHORT
“Field Trip to See the Mermaid” in Mermaids Monthly
“How to Find Yourself Again” in Fantasy Magazine
LONG
“The Bookstore” in New Myths
“Follow the Meandering Path” in Abyss & Apex
Best of luck to all nominees!
#SFWAPro
Read MoreBready or Not: Chocolate Whiskey Cake
This Chocolate Whiskey Cake is dense, moist, and delicious–the perfect cake for chocoholics.
This is the first entry in a special sequence of deliciousness, too–three weeks in a row with Ireland-inspired recipes. Look for Irish Apple Cake and Irish Coffee Coffee Cake in the coming weeks!
This is the kind of cake that doesn’t need frosting; that would actually be overkill. If desired, add a sprinkle of confectioners’ sugar on top, but that’s more about adding some color contrast than flavor.
So, what IS the flavor here? Chocolate. Coffee. And yes, whiskey–that adds a refreshing waft. I used Green Spot Irish Whiskey, my favorite, and one I’m fortunate enough to find sometimes at Costco around St. Patrick’s Day! Total Wine carries it year-round, too.
Eat this cake within a day or two, or wrap up pieces and freeze for later! It thaws, no problem at all.
I modified this a lot from an original take at NYT Cooking.
Bready or Not: Chocolate Whiskey Cake
Equipment
- 9-inch springform pan
- parchment paper
- food scale
Ingredients
- 12 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder sifted
- 1 1/2 cups brewed strong coffee
- 1/2 cup Irish whiskey
- 1 cup white sugar
- 156 grams light brown sugar note this is weighed, not packed
- 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder sifted
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped dark chocolate or chocolate chips
- Confectioners' sugar for serving, optional
Instructions
- In a large pot on low heat, warm the butter, 3/4 cup cocoa powder, coffee, and Irish whiskey. Once the butter is melted, stir in the sugars until they are dissolved. Remove from heat to cool, 30 minutes at minimum.
- Preheat oven at 325-degrees. Cut a piece of parchment to fit the bottom of the springform pan. Apply nonstick spray to pan, place parchment inside, then spray again. Dust the interior with the remaining 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder to coat.
- In a big bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, pepper, and cloves. In a different bowl, whisk together eggs and vanilla. Gradually stir the egg mixture into the butter-cocoa pot. Add the dry ingredients to just combine, then fold in the chopped chocolate.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake cake for 65 to 70 minutes, until the middle just passes the toothpick test. Let cool for about 20 minutes, then release sides of pan to let the cake cool completely.
- Slice into wedges to serve. Add confectioners’ sugar sprinkled on top, if desired. Keep cake covered at room temperature up to 2 days. Remaining pieces can be sliced and individually wrapped and frozen for later enjoyment.
