Is it bread, or is it cake?

 

OK, so I occasionally get this hankerin' for cinnamon rolls.  Actually, anything that is even remotely like them, or cinnamon in flavor.  My sister Patty is, in my world the queen of Monkey Bread and makes the greatest!  Since I couldn't get any of that, and I was stuck at home, I was thinking of what I could do to monkey bread, to make it like a cinnamon roll with cream cheese frosting.  I wanted an ooeeyy, goooeeyy, sweet, caramel oozing roll topped with some sort of Cinnabon type of frosting.  A couple of days passed and with my growing craving, I had to come up with something and it had to be now.  You know the kind of urgency you feel in the morning when you have to put off your first cup of coffee for a couple of hours?  I finally came up with what I think is the perfect combination of a cinnamon roll and monkey bread.  I think I did it, at least I am pretty sure I did it, try it and see what you think!!  This recipe is not for the health conscience.  It's a very rich, ONCE IN A WHILE treat, that will leave your arteries...err....your tummy begging for more!  You can use reduced fat cream cheese without it affecting the recipe.  I know, seems pointless, but none the less, the option is yours!

Cinnamon Monkey Cake

For the CAKE you will need:

1 cup softened butter

2 containers of GRANDES biscuits

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 tbsp cinnamon

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. LIBERALLY butter 2-9 inch round cake pans and lay the bottom with parchment paper. Take your biscuits and cut each one into 4 or 6 pieces. *I did 6*. Do one can at a time so you keep the pans even in their amounts. Melt 1/2 cup butter in a bowl. In a Ziploc bag, combine white sugar and cinnamon, shake to mix. Dip one container of your biscuits in butter and then drop in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Toss inside bag and place into your prepared cake pan. Repeat with next can of biscuits.

Next, melt another 1/2 cup of butter in a bowl and then add brown sugar. Combine and divide between both cakes. Drizzle on top and spread around for even coverage.

Bake for 25-30 min. Check often! Yours may take more or less time.  
 

 

 

While the cakes are baking prepare your frosting/filling: 

1/2 cup of room temp butter 

1-8oz pkg cream cheese 

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

2 tsp vanilla
  

Combine all ingredients and set in refrigerator until ready to use.

 

When cakes are done let cool 5 min IN pans. Carefully run a knife around the edges and invert one cake onto a serving plate.  Use 3/4 of the frosting/filling to spread on top and then invert second cake on top of filling.  You can put the remaining frosting on top or thin it with a little milk and use as a drizzle over all the top.

I hope you enjoy this recipe! Don't just save it for dessert, have it for breakfast with your morning coffee!