monkeyballin’ (a recipe)
“I like children.
If they’re properly cooked.”
- W.C. Fields
Start with 4 tins of refrigerated biscuits.
Separate them and cut each biscuit into quarters.
Roll each quarter-biscuit into a happy little ball.
Mix together 1 cup of sugar with 1/4 cup of cinnamon.
Open and soften 2 sticks of butter. . .
When your butter is softened, pour a bit of it into a plate.
Roll your biscuit-balls one (or two!) at a time through the butter. . .
Then roll the buttered biscuit balls through the cinnamon and sugar mixture and drop into a tube pan.
(If you don’t own a tube pan, ask your mom for a loaner. Moms Grand-moms always have things like tube pans.
Thanks Mom!)
When all of the buttery and sugared biscuit balls are in the pan,
pour the remaining sugar mixture and butter evenly(ish) over the top.
Bake for about 40 minutes in a preheated oven – 350 degrees.
Let ’em sit for about 10 minutes, and turn them out. . .
TA-DA! Monkey-ball cake!
Let your cake cool until little fingers can touch it
break off a piece for you, and a piece to share. . .
Scarf it down. . .
and enjoy!
Monkey-ball cake is one of the greatest (and tastiest) kiddy recipes of all time. It’s easy to set up, quick to put together (we did this while the other 2 babies were taking their morning nap) and as you can see, even a kid as little as Super Puff can do *most* of it with little help from an elder. I was really excited to be able to make this with my girl. I have my own yummy memories of monkeyballin’ in the kitchen with my siblings when we were all young – most likely in this very same pan! It comes out tasting suspiciously like cinnamon rolls, and the pull-apart design is definitely a winner with kids. Puff certainty had a blast making it, and (of course) everyone loved eating the finished product (3 toddlers on a sugar-high can be ridiculously entertaining on a rainy afternoon)! Even Puff knows that things taste better when you make them yourself! This technically is the cheater’s version of this recipe, as the dough was store-bought, but that’s what makes it kid-friendly – and the finished product is delicious!
Huginn, Muninn, and me 
Kelli said,
November 19, 2009 at 3:09 pm
This is one of our FAVORITE things to make together!!! Love, love it. Looks like Super Puff likes it too!!!
maygan said,
November 19, 2009 at 4:17 pm
that looks like fun, and I’m sure Trent would love to try it…thanks!
Jenn said,
November 19, 2009 at 7:50 pm
you are truly the greatest mother ever with all this fun stuff you do!! we will have to try this next week too!!
Kendall said,
November 19, 2009 at 11:45 pm
yummy tasty stuff and you still did it the hard way! 😉 Cut the biscuits, skip the rolling into balls, skip the rolling in butter and just toss the biscuit pieces into a bag full of sugar and cinnamon. Shake to your hearts delight, fish out of sugar and cinnamon and put into the bundt pan…then pour the butter over! hehe… The pictures are great! I wish I’d gotten pictures of my girls when we did them…sigh…we’ll totally have to do it again! So easy, so much fun, and so tasty!!
Rita/Fighting Off Frumpy said,
November 19, 2009 at 11:47 pm
*drool* I LOVE this recipe! Although I’ve always called it “monkey bread.” Either way, whatever you call it, it’s deliciousness in a pan. 🙂
Me said,
November 20, 2009 at 12:02 am
To all of those who have made and love it – ROCK ON!
To all of those who have not – I expect reports on your maiden monkey-ball voyage soon!
Kendall – Okay. That may be easier, but you’ve taken all the FUN out of it! PUFF rolled ’em. PUFF buttered ’em. PUFF sugared ’em, PUFF put ’em in th’ pan! . . . what fun is it for the kid to just put dough in a bag!?? I suppose the shaking is allright, but I’ll have to stick to my (messier) version! You’ll have more time to get pictures if you do it MY way *winks* She felt so accomplished at the end cuz’ she did it all by herself.
Rita – Monkey BREAD is prolly more politically correct *giggle* We’ve always called it monkey balls after those spiky seed-pods that fall from sweet gum trees. . .
Gabe said,
November 21, 2009 at 2:08 am
MY BABY MONKEY is SOOOOO SMART!!!!! I love that monkey.
Amber said,
November 21, 2009 at 4:22 pm
I LOVE that.
We don’t make it a lot though. But when we do, it’s SO good.
drzibbs said,
November 21, 2009 at 7:28 pm
awwwww.
wecki77 said,
November 29, 2009 at 2:29 pm
You know, my hubby has been wanting this for a little bit. We may have to make this next weekend (when we get to the store to buy the stuff).
YoMama said,
December 10, 2009 at 8:31 pm
Mmmmm… I remember monkey ball cake. Delish!