Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?

Paula Cole wondered this a lot while singing her very famous song back in the 90's. But for me, the cowboys have apparently gone to go get some coffee cake. Yup, you heard right. C-o-f-f-e-e--C-a-k-e. And not just any kind of coffee cake, but c-o-w-b-o-y coffee cake.

In my search to do something with the leftover buttermilk I had in the refrigerator, I came across Mary the Food Librarian's blog and a recipe for a buttermilk coffee cake aka cowboy coffee cake. The recipe is actually from Better Home and Garden's cookbook and is a sure-fire winner with cowboys and girls alike according to the numerous props it's gotten from various websites. Since I am a lover of coffee cake (or any cake for that matter), I figured I would give it a go.

Buttermilk Coffee Cake (aka Cowboy Coffee Cake)

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup butter
1/2 cup nuts (I used almonds, but walnuts or pecans would be good here too)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 eggs beaten
1 1/3 cup buttermilk

Directions:
Butter and flour a 9x13 pan or line with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the flour, brown sugar and salt in a bowl. Using a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour mixture until the butter becomes small pieces and looks like crumbs.

Reserve 1/2 cup of crumb mixture for the topping. Add nuts to this 1/2 cup. Add baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg to the rest of the crumb mixture.

In a separate bowl, add the eggs to the buttermilk. Add the wet ingredients to the crumb mixture until just combined. Pour into prepared pan and add topping. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in pan and cut into squares to serve. Yum!

I think the corner slices are always discriminated against in photos, so I wanted to be an equal opportunity photographer

No almonds for the squirrels, this one is all mine!