Friday, October 23, 2009

Monkey Bread - Day #7 - I Like Big Bundts

Monkey Bread Bundt - I Like Big Bundts

I Like Big Bundts Logo by JustJenn Designs
Logo design: JustJenn of JustJennDesigns

TGIF! Whoo hoo! And that means you probably have two days ahead of you where you can wake up a little later and you just take it a wee bit easier. (Of course, you could be the family with more activities than ever on the weekend). If you have some kids around, consider making a homemade Monkey Bread with them this weekend.

I’m sure you’ve had the Monkey Bread made with Pillsbury refrigerated biscuits. And those spongy things do well. But you can make Monkey Bread with your own yeast, flour, cinnamon, sugar, nuts and your own two hands. Fun!

Monkey Bread Bundt - I Like Big Bundts
We are on Day #7 of I Like Big Bundts, my sleep-deprivation inducing quest to make 30 Bundts in 30 days...all leading up to National Bundt Day on November 15th!

Monkey Bread Bundt - I Like Big Bundts Monkey Bread Bundt - I Like Big Bundts
Monkey Bread Bundt - I Like Big Bundts Monkey Bread Bundt - I Like Big Bundts
Overall, the recipe is easy and just takes a little time - most of it resting and proofing the dough. Your kids will love shaping the dough balls, rolling them in butter and coating them with a brown sugar, cinnamon and walnut mixture. I, not a kid and being Japanese American, decided to avoid sticky hands by dipping and rolling mine with the aid of chopsticks!

Monkey Bread - I Like Big Bundts
Monkey Balls! ha ha ha

Monkey Bread - I Like Big Bundts Monkey Bread - I Like Big Bundts
Left: before rising.
Right: yes, you guessed it...after rising for 1 hour in a warm location. At first, I thought my balls were too big. {Sorry, that was me giggling.} They turned out okay...but remember that they do get bigger.

Monkey Bread Bundt - I Like Big Bundts
Baked in a Bundt pan, Monkey Bread is perfect for a lazy weekend brunch. Your house will smell delicious!

Monkey Bread Bundt - I Like Big Bundts
Before the glaze of powdered sugar and milk...

Monkey Bread Bundt - I Like Big Bundts
This monkey bread won't be confused with the Pillsbury stuff. I think my dough balls came out a little heavy in texture. And that is ALL me. I don't work with dough and yeast much so I'm sure I over or under kneaded things. I will definitely try again!

Monkey Bread Bundt - I Like Big Bundts
And wouldn't you know it? The Los Angeles Times published three Monkey Bread recipes in their Food section this week! (Los Angeles Times, Monkey Bread: It's Play Dough for Bakers, Food Section, October 21, 2009) Author Jenn Garbee's basic dough uses butter instead of shortening in Martha's recipe.

See you tomorrow for another Bundt and every day from now til National Bundt Day (November 15th)! By the way, November 15th is also Katrina's birthday (Baking and Boys!)...awesome!

And a special shout out to Tracey of Tracey's Culinary Adventures and Lunettes of Not by Chamomile Alone for making Bundts this week!

- mary the food librarian

Recipe:
Monkey Bread
from Martha Stewart Kids

You might be interested in the Los Angeles Times Monkey Bread recipes too.

I Like Big Bundts recap:
The Food Librarian confesses: I Like Big Bundts
Day 1: Pumpkin Spice Bundt with Buttermilk Icing
Day 2: Chocolate-Cinnamon Bundt Cake with Mocha Icing
Day 3: Pumpkin-Apple Spiced Bundt
Day 4: Cinnamon Ripple Sweet Potato Bundt
Day 5: Chocolate Zucchini Bundt
Day 6: Cardamom Vanilla Bundt

29 comments:

  1. Mary AnnOctober 23, 2009 at 6:37 AM

    This looks like a really fun one! My kids would love it.
    Every day I want to make the bundt you post about. I love that you are doing this. So fun!

    ReplyDelete
  2. KatrinaOctober 23, 2009 at 6:38 AM

    Awwww, that's so nice of you to put me in this post! I love monkey bread and wouldn't even have thought of it as a bundt, but yep, it's made in a bundt, so it counts!
    I made a bundt yesterday--and so did Anna at Cookie Madness. She has posted hers (choc/pumpkin), I haven't posted mine yet, but I made the same bundt with a few changes.
    Lovin' this, Mary. Thanks for all your hard work. Now, go have a weekend! ;)

    ReplyDelete
  3. UnknownOctober 23, 2009 at 7:07 AM

    This looks so good! I still don't have a bundt yet, but maybe I'll try to make this without.

    Have a good weekend. :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. kimberleyblueOctober 23, 2009 at 7:21 AM

    I've never actually made monkey bread because I didn't want to use that Pillsbury dough. How nice to see a recipe that has you make your own!

    This one is a keeper...can't wait to try it out myself.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Tamara MarnellOctober 23, 2009 at 7:29 AM

    Mmm, monkey bread. I fell in love with it when I watched Paula Deen make it on TV and made it for an occasion or two with Bisquick. Using yeast bread instead would probably be better for me :D

    ReplyDelete
  6. BethOctober 23, 2009 at 8:34 AM

    Is okay that I want to make this as a fun activity for me? And I don't have kids? ;-)

    I'm loving the big bundts!

    ReplyDelete
  7. IreneOctober 23, 2009 at 9:20 AM

    I giggled all the way through your post! And I always wondered why it was called monkey bread........ ;)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Erin @ The Sweet LifeOctober 23, 2009 at 9:40 AM

    Monkey Bread! My mom used to make this every Christmas morning (using the refrigerated biscuits) for us. Now, I make it on Christmas morning for my husband. I'll have to try it by making my own dough this year. Yum!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Rachelle SOctober 23, 2009 at 9:50 AM

    Yum!! I had a dream about monkey bread last night, lol! Now you post about yours, I think I need to make one for the weekend! =) Gorgeous photos, as always.

    ReplyDelete
  10. AudrieOctober 23, 2009 at 10:09 AM

    I've never had monkey bread and always wanted to try it! Didn't want to use that Pilsbury packaged stuff though, so making it from scratch would be the way I'd go when I try it :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Snooky doodleOctober 23, 2009 at 12:09 PM

    wow this looks so drooling! yummy !

    All these bundt cakes I can't decidde which one to make I want them all :)

    I changed my blog name here s the link
    http://maltesebakes.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  12. PamelaOctober 23, 2009 at 12:43 PM

    I have made monkey bread with the refrigerated dough and really liked that. But making the dough on my own would just make this OH so much better. Looks so tasty!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Barbara BakesOctober 23, 2009 at 2:55 PM

    I'm loving the chopsticks idea! I'll have to try this one soon!

    ReplyDelete
  14. EsiOctober 23, 2009 at 3:39 PM

    OMG, I was just saving all those monkey bread recipes the other day. I really want to try the herbed one. They all sound so good though. GO BUNDT!

    ReplyDelete
  15. YudithOctober 23, 2009 at 3:43 PM

    Love this idea!! I will try this soon!

    ReplyDelete
  16. 2.46%October 23, 2009 at 9:20 PM

    All those HK pics are great! Like any proper Asian girl, I loved HK when I was young. I remember having all the pencil/pencil case/eraser stuff. So cute.

    I saw the monkey bread recipe in the LAT this past week and now after seeing this post, I just have to make it! Yours looks absolutely delicious.

    ReplyDelete
  17. graceOctober 24, 2009 at 5:07 AM

    aside from its unfortunate and random name, i find monkey bread to be one of the tastiest concoctions of all time. the glaze is absolutely essential though, am i right?

    ReplyDelete
  18. The Food LibrarianOctober 24, 2009 at 5:09 AM

    Grace, Yes, I think the glaze is important. It gives it all some moisture too. Yes, funny name!! :) The Los Angeles Times I link to has a little history of the name... - mary

    ReplyDelete
  19. ElaineOctober 24, 2009 at 5:20 AM

    hello!
    i made the cinnamon sweet potato bundt cake but replaced it with pumpkin.. it smells delicious but looks.. ugly. :(
    help me please!
    how do you ensure that ur bundt cake comes out so nice and perfect just like how the mould looks? i buttered and floured it, but it still came out with some pieces stuck to the bundt.. :(

    ReplyDelete
  20. The Food LibrarianOctober 24, 2009 at 5:26 AM

    Elaine,
    Glad you made a Bundt...but sorry it didn't all come out of the pan. I often use Pam with Flour or Bakers Joy. This is the spray stuff but it has flour in it. And I use a LOT of it.

    This Bundt pan is also non-stick so that helps as well. Sometimes, I will use shortening and flour instead of butter. I read somewhere that that is a good combo.

    I usually don't let any of the cakes sit for more than 15 minutes before depanning from the pan and letting cool completely on a wire rack.

    I don't know if any of this will help you...but that is what I do. - mary

    ReplyDelete
  21. KatieOctober 24, 2009 at 7:03 AM

    OH YUM it looks incredible! I keep meaning to try making monkey bread but never managed it yet. I want some so badly now.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Nutmeg NannyOctober 24, 2009 at 5:29 PM

    I just got done eating a full rack of ribs and I'm stuffed BUT looked at this picture my stomach actually started growling :) It looks amazing! I have never made truly homemade monkey bread. Only the kind where you cut up biscuits. I'm sure yours is a lot better. I need a bundt pan so I can make this.

    ReplyDelete
  23. ElaineOctober 25, 2009 at 9:50 AM

    oh? cause i was so frantic abt not getting it out of the bundt! haha, my dad suggested keeping it for like 2 hrs before depanning it, but after half an hour, i kinda like.. shook it out.. but it looked more like a ring cake, no shapes and all. hahaha, im gonna try again! :)

    ReplyDelete
  24. AnonymousOctober 25, 2009 at 12:20 PM

    I love making (and eating) monkey bread. YUM.

    ReplyDelete
  25. AnonymousOctober 26, 2009 at 12:23 AM

    I hope you do "30 Days of Big Balls" next. Cause I have a logo for you...

    ReplyDelete
  26. PatsykOctober 27, 2009 at 6:48 PM

    I keep hearing about Monkey Bread... after seeing your post, I'm going to have to make it sometime soon! Looks incredible!

    ReplyDelete
  27. eatme_deliciousOctober 28, 2009 at 4:33 PM

    Ooo this is a must try bundt! It looks irresistible.

    ReplyDelete
  28. librarianeNovember 3, 2009 at 7:34 AM

    Just found your blog and wanted to say that my family has always done monkey bread in a bundt pan! Love this theme and am glad I found about the national day before it was over. :)

    ReplyDelete
  29. JonAugust 20, 2010 at 2:23 PM

    cool

    ReplyDelete