Grandma’s Cowboy Cake

One of my favorite breakfasts growing up was when Grandma made cowboy cake.  Let’s face it; what six-year-old doesn’t want to eat cake for breakfast?  Naming it cowboy cake just makes most kids want to eat it even more.  As I got older, I was told that this bake is also called bishop’s bread.

My grandparents were one of the biggest influences on my baking.  My mom made me a delicious dinner almost every night; but my grandparents baked more often.  I feel the house always smelled like something delicious.  They taught me how to make cookies, pie crust, and zucchini bread.  This is not a recipe I ever had the opportunity to make with my grandma.  I have very fond memories of eating it!

When I was little, my cousin and I woke up many mornings at grandma’s house.  What’s great about visiting grandparents is that they usually don’t have to work like mom and dad, and they plan their entire week around your visit.  Sometimes they’ll do chores, but usually they try to do something with you, or something special for you, like bake this bread for breakfast!  This recipe only takes a few moments to mix, and 25 minutes to cook.  I genuinely do not know if she ever baked it in the morning, or if it was finished the previous day.  She always served it warm!

My favorite thing about this breakfast is the topping.  It is a type of streusel made from the same mix you use for the cake.  One possibility for the name of cowboy cake is that it needs very few fresh ingredients.  You could even choose to substitute ground walnuts or a fruit syrup for eggs, which would give the cake what it needs to rise.  I’m glad that my grandma made it without mix ins.  It is light and fluffy when you take a bite.  The streusel just melts in your mouth.

I was surprised when I made this cake how little cinnamon was in it.  Most of the flavor comes from the brown sugar.  It tastes just a little warm, but very clean and light.  The best bite of the entire piece is the very last bite you take.  After you’ve eaten all of the cake on your plate, use your fork to press the crumbs into the bottom of your fork.  Keep pressing until you have all of them rolled together.  This is my favorite bite of the entire dish.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Instructions:

I use my mixer for almost every baking recipe.  This recipe is just as easy to make by hand.

1. If you do not have naturally sour milk, make sour milk.
2. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
3. Mix flour, brown sugar and salt.
4. Add shortening and mix. I use my fingers to break up the biggest pieces of shortening.  You do not need this to be completely smooth or even; you will have some bigger pieces and some that is little more than dust.
5. Take out about ¾ c of the mixture. Hold it to the side for later.
6. Stir in the rest of the ingredients.
7. Grease and flour two 10 in round cake or pie pans. The recipe calls for pie pans, but I always remember my grandma using round cake pans.
8. Pour half of the batter into each pan. If it does not spread out, use a rubber spatula to spread it evenly.
9. Sprinkle the reserved mixture over the top of the cakes.
10. Bake at 400 degrees F for approximately 25 minutes. My last one needed to bake for only about 20 minutes.
11. I always cool my cakes on a cookie rack to help them cool quickly and evenly.  Allow the cake to cool to almost room temperature before cutting it.
12. Reheat in the microwave by the slice before serving.