Happy Lundi Gras! Another Mardi Gras season brings another king cake experiment. This year I adapted a monkey bread recipe to make a king cake. People usually make them in a bundt pan, mais I wanted mine to be king cake size. So I used a cast-iron! That change requires a bit of tweaking. Sharing the recipe below. Did it work? Oui!

King cake Monkey Bread

INGREDIENTS:

• ½ c. granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons cinnamon
• 1 ½ cup Powdered sugar
• Butter
• 3 oz. Cream cheese
• Vanilla extract
• milk

• Caramel glaze:
• ¾ cup light brown sugar
• ¾ unsalted butter
• 1 tsp vanilla

• Cream Cheese Icing
• 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
• 3 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract  
• 1 tablespoon milk

Steps: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover the bottom and sides of a 12-inch cast-iron dish with foil, then parchment paper.

2. Make the caramel glaze. Microwave the butter and brown sugar together for 1 minute, and stir. Return to the microwave for another 30 seconds until it’s bubbling.

3. Make the cinnamon-sugar mix. Place into a gallon-sized zip-lock bag.

4. Make the cream cheese icing. Set aside.

5. Cut each biscuit into four pieces. Toss a handful of the dough pieces into the cinnamon-sugar mix. Make sure there’s air in the bag as you seal it and gently shake until all pieces are well coated. Repeat.

6. Grease a round, food-safe stainless steel measuring cup without a handle. Place it upside down in the middle of the cast iron. A large paperless tomato sauce can work too. Loosely drop the pieces around the cast-iron pan. Don’t stack the pieces higher than the measuring cup or can. Pour the glaze over the dough pieces.

7. Bake for about 30 minutes.

8. Let rest for about 5 to 8 minutes. Remove measuring cup (or can). Lift the foil to transfer the bread to a dish. Place the serving dish on top and flip it. 

9. Top with cream cheese icing while the cake is still warm. Sprinkle with purple, then green, then gold sanding sugar. Repeat alternating colors.

10. Don’t forget to hide the baby!

Bon appétit!