Oh, monkey bread, you are perfect. Oooey, gooey, warm, doughy… just perfect. And monkey bread is easy to make! Throw a bunch of stuff in a bundt pan, bake, and you’re done. Anyone know why it’s called monkey bread though?!
Edit: Yes, I know, this isn’t REAL king cake. Yes, I know, this is monkey bread. Yes, I know, I am less of a food blogger because I used refrigerator biscuits. Yes, I know, nothing could be more of a world crisis than making a Mardi Gras-themed treat that isn’t perfectly accurate. Relax, breathe, and be zen, guys. It’s just sugar. :)
King Cake Monkey Bread
Recipe source: Babble.com
Print Recipe
4 tubes refrigerator biscuits [buy the plain Pillsbury biscuits, not the flaky biscuits! the plain biscuits will come in packs of 4 and the tubes are small]
1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1-3/4 cups sugar, separated
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup evaporated milk
3/4 cup butter
1. Preheat oven to 350F and spray a bundt pan with nonstick spray.
2. Mix the cinnamon with 3/4 cup sugar. Cut each biscuit into 4 pieces and roll in cinnamon sugar mix. Layer in prepared bundt pan.
3. Mix 1 cup sugar, brown sugar, evaporated milk, and butter in saucepan; bring to boil and pour over the biscuits. Bake for 30-45 minutes. [the baking time can really vary; check the pan often to see how things are progressing and remove from oven when all of the biscuit pieces appear to be fully cooked]
4. Remove from oven and allow to cool on the stovetop for a few minutes, then carefully invert onto a plate or cake stand.
For the icing:
4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
Colored sprinkles for decorating
Mix the sugar, cream, and vanilla together. I added a bit more cream to give the frosting a thinner consistency (personal preference — you can definitely leave the frosting thick and as-is! I just wanted more of a glaze). Spread over warm monkey bread and decorate with sprinkles. Serve immediately.
Hey I really wanna make this but I live in australia and have no idea what refridgerater biscuits are?
hi Carmen,
Can you get Pillsbury products in Australia? The biscuits I’m talking about are these: http://www.pillsbury.com/Products/Biscuits/Pillsbury-Biscuits — and if you’d like a visual on the packaging, check this out: http://i.walmartimages.com/i/p/00/01/80/00/52/0001800052180_500X500.jpg
I hope that helps!! :)
I think its called Monkey Bread cuz you eat it with your fingers like a monkey :O) lol
You can also use frozen bread dough if you are able to get that in Australia…or any kind of bread dough will work, if you use the frozen kind you only need one loaf and cut it into 96 or so small pieces…like cut the dough into 24 equal parts and then cut those in 4’s. Hope this helps!
Great idea! Sometimes I like to bake monkey bread in muffin pans. Individual portions and faster bake time. Especially great for a few leftover biscuits after another project.
Great idea, Sunny!!
YUMMMY! I would LOVE for you to link up and join in my Mardi Gras party! http://cafescrapper-scrapsoflife.blogspot.com/2012/02/happy-fat-tuesday-mardi-gras.html I’m giving a pin on Pinterest to all who link up today!
this looks like an easy way to prepare King Cake. Actually, King Cake has a filling inside, like a custard cream, etc. Also, the main ingredient your bread is lacking is the little plastic baby that’s baked inside! It represents the Christ child and if you get the piece of cake with the baby inside it’s your responsibility to make the King Cake and host the mardi gras party next year. The icing should be purple, gold and green. Each color has a meaning. Green: is faith, Gold: power and Purple is justice. Nothing like eating King Cake in New Orleans!
I made a more traditional (though not perfectly tradition) king cake a few years ago. It was great! https://www.withsprinklesontop.net/?p=623
you forgot most important part, the little plastic baby hidden inside the cake and whoever gets that slice has to make the cake the next year. It’s tradition!!!!! Also the meaning is baby Jesus since night before ASH Wednesday. King cake is associated with the Epiphany in the Christmas Season in a number of countries and in other places with the Pre-Lenten celebrations. “King” is because of the Biblical 3 Kings (visit of the Magi to Christ Child)
My mom always told me it was called Monkey Bread because it was meant to be torn apart and eaten with our hands, like little monkey’s. I was probably a teenager before I realized that she did not invent it, and I was still her little monkey! Years later, my kids were my monkeys! They have always loved it! I can’t wait to turn my grandson into my next monkey! I alway use frozen bread dough, my mom used fresh bread dough. Forever a family favorite with fond memories to go with it..
I did before as with the biscuits, adding cinnamon, syrup, and pecans..
actually the receipe i got for monkey bread about 25-30 yrs ago,said at the bottom “Eat with your fingers, monkey see monkey do” so kristel is right
@Janette — King Cake did not originally start being filled. This is a relatively new thing the last 10 yrs or so.