Featuring iconic ice cream sandwiches in flavors like ube, banana chocolate chip, North Shore coffee and lilikoʻi, Uncle’s Ice Cream Sandwiches has been in business for more than 10 years.
As popular as the cold treats are, business owner Paul Logan — a self-described “chief cheesecake creator” — has been searching for new, complementary products lines to expand the business for some time.
He remembers why basque cheesecakes — a crustless dessert characterized by its caramelized, “burnt” top and creamy interior — caught his attention.
“It’s all about contrast — that deeply caramelized top with a soft, custardy center,” he says. “It’s simple, bold and a little unconventional. It checked so many boxes.
“It’s remarkable — so different and delicious, you will want to tell your friends," he adds. "They have a good shelf life; these keep quite well in the freezer. They’re giftable and memorable — if you’ve never had one before, you will remember your first bite.”
When going deeper into the basque cheesecake concept, Logan came up with the name “Hanabi,” which translates to “flower fire” in Japanese.
“Hanabi means fireworks,” Logan says. “Since we fire these cakes at a high temperature to create the caramelized exterior — which brings in tons of flavor — I liked the image of working with fire. Additionally, like a fireworks explosion, the taste of these cakes is literally a flavor explosion in your mouth. It’s celebratory, it’s warm, and it captures the feeling we want people to have when they experience the cheesecake.”
Hanabi cheesecakes are a locally made product made with high-quality ingredients, according to Logan. He explains that these “burnt cheesecakes” are baked at high heat, resulting in a deep, caramelized topping that contrasts nicely with the cheesecake’s soft, custard-like interior.
“The result is a rich, melt-in-your-mouth texture with a subtle bitterness that balances its creamy decadence — rustic, yet refined,” Logan says. “We launched with five different flavors — original, guava, Cookie Butter, ube and blood orange. They have all been quite popular, with the original probably being the slight favorite.”
The cheesecakes currently come in two sizes — a nine-inch cake ($69-$79, depending on flavor), which can serve 12 to 14 people, and a 4-inch cake ($14 to $16), designed for two to four people.
Hanabi cheesecakes can currently be ordered online for pick-up at select retailers, including BR Essentials (in Downtown Honolulu on Bishop Street) and at Cooke Street Market in Kakaʻako.
Cooke Street Market also offers basque cheesecakes by the slice ($14) in the original flavor. Cheesecake slices come with Cooke Street Market’s strawberry puree on the side.
“Customers can find these (cheesecakes) at our Waialua Sugar Mill kitchen,” Logan says. “I plan to bring an international flavor selection into our line-up with taste profiles from around the globe.
“It’s very similar to ice cream, where we have vanilla, but can create unlimited different flavors,” he adds. “While we make these out of our Waialua kitchen, we want to team up with specialty shops around Oʻahu as pick-up locations, so they will be convenient to where customers work, live and play.”
Going into 2026, Logan says they’re “just getting started,” and customers can look forward to new flavors, limited releases and fun, seasonal ideas.
“Hanabi is part of the same story that started with Uncle’s Ice Cream — it’s just a new chapter,” he says. “Barbara and I have been building Uncle’s together for over a decade, and this is the first time we’ve expanded beyond ice cream sandwiches. It still comes from the same place — making something we’re proud of, doing it thoughtfully, and sharing it with our community here in Hawaiʻi. We’re also excited to see how people respond and let that guide where Hanabi goes next. It’s meant to stay creative and a little surprising.”
CONTACT
Hanabi Cheesecake
unclesicecream.com/Hanabi
Instagram: @hanabicheesecake
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Kelli Shiroma Braiotta can be reached at kelli@alohastatedaily.com.
