Pear-Filled Cowboy Coffee Cake
Pear-Filled Cowboy Coffee Cake is a wonderful way to have your pears and eat your cake, too. Okay, maybe that was a bit lame but the clever words might not be coming as easily this morning. Who knows??
Having said that, this coffee cake is really delish! It’s a tender, pear-filled coffee cake with a crunchy topping that will have your house smelling oh so Autumn-y! Cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves help to flavor this lovely cake.
In case you’re wondering, I tried to research why it’s called a “cowboy” coffee cake but came up with no great answers (the folks in south Texas claim it as their own and figured it was something the cowboys made when out roaming but there are earlier mentions of it in places like Pennsylvania and Maine where there isn’t much historical cowboy context) so just enjoy this delicious coffee cake!
One of the things I love about this recipe is that the topping and batter are made at the same time. There’s no need to dirty up extra bowls making the topping after the batter is made!
It’s important to follow the order in which the cake comes together (for example, if you peel and cut the pears too early, they can become mushy). There is a reason!
Begin by pulsing flour, brown sugar, salt, spices and wheat germ in a food processor. We use wheat germ to give the cake an extra bit of texture. Add butter and pulse a few more times.
Take 3/4 cup of the pulsed mixture and add it to a bowl with chopped nuts and cinnamon and stir well.
Add the baking soda and baking powder to the dry ingredients in the food processor and pulse.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and then add the buttermilk.
Peel and chop the pears and toss the pieces with spices and dark brown sugar.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until smooth. Pour half of the batter into a prepared baking pan. Spread the pears over the batter then top with the remaining batter. sprinkle on the topping and bake the cake for about 40 minutes or until the center springs back when lightly pressed.
Allow the cake to cool for 20 minutes and then serve!
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Pear-Filled Cowboy Coffee Cake
Makes: 8-12 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Bake Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour & 20 minutes
Ingredients
Cake and Topping:
- 2 & 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 & 3/4 cups dark brown sugar
- 3/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- 1 & 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 & 1/2 tsp cinnamon (divided: 1/2 teaspoon + 1 more teaspoon for the topping)
- 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp cloves
- 1/4 cup toasted wheat germ
- 3/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (almonds or pecans also work well)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
Pear Filling:
- 1 & 1/2 pounds (4 medium) pears (I like barely ripe Bartletts) (apples, peaches, Asian pears or fuyu persimmons may also be used)
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- Tiny dash of cloves (optional)
- 1 tbsp dark brown sugar
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9” x 13” baking pan with butter or cooking spray.
Pulse the flour, brown sugar, salt, spices (remember, only 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon) and wheat germ in a food processor four or five times, until combined. Add the butter and process for about ten seconds; scrape down the sides and pulse three or four times. Remove 3/4 cup of that and put in a small bowl with the nuts and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. Stir well to combine.
Add the baking soda and baking powder to the dry ingredients in the food processor and pulse two or three times.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk. Then add the buttermilk and whisk well to combine.
Peel, core and coarsely chop the pears; toss with the filling spices (1/4 teaspoon each of cinnamon and freshly grated nutmeg, and a dash of cloves) and the tablespoon of dark brown sugar.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir just until smooth.
Put half of the batter in the prepared baking pan. Spread the pears over the batter; then, cover with the remaining batter. Sprinkle on the topping. Bake for about 40 minutes or until the center springs back when lightly touched.
Allow to cool in the pan for at least 20 minutes before cutting.
Recipe by Food 52
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