As a coffee fanatic, it’s safe to say the espresso martini is my favorite cocktail. In fact, I love the espresso martini so much that it even made an appearance as my signature cocktail at my wedding. However, my recent discovery of Spanish Coffee has changed my thoughts on the winner of the best coffee-inspired cocktail.
Unlike the martini, which typically uses vodka, the Spanish Coffee combines the flavors of rum, coffee, and whipped cream — three things I love. Here’s a super-simple Spanish Coffee recipe that makes for the perfect after-dinner drink or anytime “treat yourself” cocktail.
Spanish Coffee recipe
While some variations exist, most Americanized-version Spanish Coffee recipes contain similar ingredients. Inspired by Huber’s Cafe classic, this Spanish Coffee recipe makes the perfect after-dinner indulgent snack or “wake-me-up” cocktail.
Ingredients:
- 3/4 ounce 151-proof rum (any aged rum will do)
- 1/4 ounce triple sec
- 1 1/2 ounces coffee liqueur (Huber’s uses Kahlua. However, any coffee liqueur can be substituted)
- 3 ounces fresh-brewed coffee or espresso
- 1 lemon wedge
- Super-fine sugar
- Optional: whipped cream and nutmeg for garnish
This drink is typically served in a wine glass or an Irish coffee glass; however, it can be enjoyed in any glass you have handy in your kitchen.
Method:
- Pour the super-fine sugar into a shallow dish. Wet the rim of a wine glass or Irish coffee mug and dip in sugar to coat.
- Add rum and triple sec.
- Use a long match or lighter to ignite the mixture carefully. Turn the glass slowly until the sugar begins to caramelize.
- Pour in the coffee liqueur to put out the flame. Top with hot coffee.
Origins of the Spanish Coffee
Despite its name, the Spanish Coffee did not originate in Spain. Instead, the origins of Spanish Coffee can be attached to Portland, Oregon, in the 1970s. James Louie, co-owner of Huber’s Cafe, crafted this cocktail in 1975 after seeing a similar coffee cocktail made at another restaurant. However, Louie claimed this recipe was first seen in a bar in Mexico.
The name “Spanish Coffee” suggests that the drink may not have originated in America but dates back to when Cuba was a Spanish colony. At this time, Spanish troops would mix coffee and rum to boost courage. Some history buffs argue the Spanish invasions of South and Central America ultimately spread the recipe to Mexico and down the canal to Colombia.
Regardless of the origins before it arrived at Huber’s Cafe, this restaurant made the “show” of Spanish Coffee what it is today. When you visit the restaurant and order the drink, expect to enjoy more than a cocktail; expect an experience. The drink is prepared tableside as triple sec and 151-proof rum is torched in a sugar-rimmed glass, then extinguished with a pour of Kahlua coffee liqueur, coffee, and sweetened whipped cream. Of course, the presentation isn’t complete without a dusting of nutmeg to top off the drink.
As fun as the experience sounds, you don’t have to travel to Portland to enjoy delicious Spanish Coffee; coffee lovers worldwide can make this indulgent coffee cocktail at home. You don’t necessarily have to go all-out with the flame presentation still to enjoy the basic flavors of this classic coffee drink.
Variations of the Spanish Coffee
The classic Huber’s Cafe Spanish Coffee recipe is sometimes called an “Americanized” version of the authentic Spanish Coffee, the Carajillo. The Americanized version of Spanish Coffee uses whipped cream and coffee liqueur, yielding similar yet different cocktails. Instead, the Carajillo coffee is made only with espresso and a Spanish liqueur known as Licor 43. The Spanish Coffee doesn’t typically include whipped cream. Other types of coffee liqueur may be substituted when made in the American version.
In terms of preparation, there are other ways you can craft a unique Spanish Coffee at home, too. Some variations of the Spanish Coffee also substitute brandy for rum, although this is less common. While the traditional method involves lighting the rim of the glass and allowing the sugar to caramelize, this can be a bit intimidating if you’re looking for an easy, stress-free, at-home cocktail recipe. Alternatively, you can use a kitchen torch for a safer option. If messing with fire stresses you out, you can omit the sugar rim step altogether. The flavors of the Spanish Coffee recipe are still delicious without it!
The more you make the Spanish Coffee recipe, the more you may want to venture out. Some variations include Grand Marnier, a French orange liqueur. Using this to replace coffee liqueur gives the drink a slightly more bitter, fruitier taste and notes of vanilla bean. Using coffee liqueur with fresh coffee or espresso can sometimes make the drink too strong if you’re not used to drinking coffee as strong as it gets.
