Monkey Bread for #BundtBakers

Our Bundt theme this month was chosen by Lauren of Sew You Think You Can Cook.  I was very excited when Lauren chose cinnamon as the theme.  First, because I LOVE cinnamon.  Second, because I think it is a perfect, warm, cold-weather flavor.  Lastly, because I have been wanting to make Monkey Bread.

Believe it or not, I had never made nor even eaten Monkey Bread before I made it for this challenge. I thought it was very good but a little too sweet for my taste.  I'm going to make it again but I am thinking of adding some fresh fruit to it before baking, maybe some tart apples too offset some of the sweetness.  My husband and Mom Klik, on the other hand, absolutely LOVED it.

I don't know why I have never made it before now.  It is super easy.  When my kids were young I used to make doughnuts using refrigerated biscuit dough and shake them in cinnamon sugar.  This tasted much the same but with caramel all over it.

We were invited over to Frank's sisters for dinner Saturday after which we could spend some time with Mom Klik, playing pinochle.  That is Mom's favorite.  Right up there with going to play bingo. Her health isn't allowing her to go to the bingo hall right now so pinochle it is.  Dinner was just an added bonus so I told Roz that I would bring dessert.

I didn't even remember hearing about Monkey Bread until a few years ago when I began following Pinterest.  Roz told me she had made Monkey Bread before and that it was all the rage twenty or thirty years ago.  I must have been under my rock because I knew nothing!!

While enjoying our dessert, we started wondering how this got the name "Monkey" bread.  My best guess was that it was so easy to make a monkey could do it.  But it got me to wondering and so I came home and did a google search.

This was what I found from Wikepedia:

Monkey bread, also called monkey puzzle bread, sticky bread, African coffee cake, golden crown, pinch-me cake, andpluck-it cake^{[citation needed]} is a sweet, sticky, gooey pastry served in the United States for breakfast or as a treat. It consists of pieces of soft bread with cinnamon sprinkled on it and is often served at fairs and other parks.^[1]

The origin of the term "monkey bread" is uncertain. One possible etymology is the bread's resemblance to the fruit of the monkey puzzle tree.^[2] 

So there you have it.  We still don't know, for certain, why it is called monkey bread. This got me curiouser though (yes, it's a word....just ask Alice in Wonderland) so I looked for an image of the fruit.

Image from Google

I don't really see it but then again, I have evidently spent much of my life underneath a rock so what the heck do I know?!!

Well I do know something.....I know this bread is the perfect recipe.....easy peasy and delicious....Enjoy!!

Monkey Bread

from Pillsbury

2 (8 ct) cans of Large, Flaky, Refrigerated Biscuits

1/2 c. sugar

1 t. cinnamon

1 c. brown sugar, firmly packed

1 1/2 sticks butter, melted

Prepare a bundt pan using cooking or baking spray.  Divide the biscuits into 16 pieces and then cut each piece into quarters.  Place cinnamon and sugar in a large plastic bag, shake to combine.  Add the biscuit quarters to the bag and shake to coat.  Pour into the prepared bundt pan.  Stir the brown sugar into the butter and pour this mixture over the biscuits in the pan.  Bake in a preheated 350* oven for approx. half an hour.  Until puffed, golden brown and no longer doughy in center.  Let cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes before turning onto a serving plate.

Look at all these wonderful Cinnamon Bundts!

• Apple Cinnamon Bundt by Tammy at Living the Gourmet
• Carrot Bundt Cake with Cinnamon Glaze by Kelly at Passion Kneaded
• Cinnamon Apple Bundt Cake by Christiane at Taking on Magazines
• Cinnamon Apple Jelly Donut Cake by Colleen at Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
• Cinnamon Bundt Cake by Kathya at Basic N Delicious
• Cinnamon Bundt Coffee Cake by Lauren at From Gate to Plate
• Cinnamon Chocolate and Strawberry Cake by Deepti at Baking Yummies
• Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake by Renee at Magnolia Days
• Cinnamon Crown Cake by Stacy at Food Lust People Love
• Cinnamon Dolce Coffee Bundt Cake by Felice at All That's Left are the Crumbs
• Cinnamon Espresso Bundt with Chocolate Ganache by Amanda at The Cinnamon Scrolls
• Cinnamon Pecan Streusel Bundt Cake by Lara at Tartacadabra
• Cinnamon Roll Bundt by Margaret at Tea and Scones
• Cinnamon Swirl Bundt by Sue at Palatable Pastime
• Cinnamon Swirl Zucchini Bundt Cake by Bea and Mara at I Love Bundt Cakes
• Cinnamon Toast Bundt by Jane at Jane's Adventures in Dinner
• Cinnamon Toast Bundts by Olivia at Liv for Cake
• Mexican Chocolate Bundt Cake by Mondo at I Bake He Shoots
• Monkey Bread Bundt by Wendy at A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Pumpkin Spice Toffee Bundt Cake by June at How to Philosophize with Cake
• Red Tea and Cinnamon Bundt Cake by Mary at Los Chatos Chefs
• Six Pound Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake by Rebekah at Making Miracles
• Snickerdoodle Bundt Cake by Teri at The Freshman Cook
• Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls Bundt by Priya at I Camp in My Kitchen
• Sweet Cinnamon Spice Tea Bundtlettes by Lauren at Sew You Think You Can Cook
• Tea Chai Bundt Cake by Rocio at kidsandchic
• Tunnel of Cinnamon Bundt Cake by Laura at Baking in Pyjamas
• Walnut Schnecken Bundt Cake by Tux at Brooklyn Homemaker

#BundtBakers is a group of Bundt loving bakers who get together once a month to bake Bundts with a common ingredient or theme. You can see all our of lovely Bundts by following our Pinterest board. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.
Updated links for all of our past events and more information about BundtBakers, can be found on our home page.