Go Back Email Link

Fruitcake Monkey Bread (+ video)

Cinnamon-sugar dusted bites of billowy yeast dough that's filled with tart dried cherries, candied ginger, craisins and pecans and elevated with a citrusy orange glaze. This is an easy and a fun baking project.
Fruitcake Monkey Bread
Yield 1 monkey bread

Ingredients

Dough

  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 (0.25oz) package (7g) or 2 1/4 teaspoons Platinum Yeast
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar, divided
  • 2 large eggs (room temperature)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup unsalted butter (melted and cooled slightly)
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup dried tart cherries (cut in halves)
  • 1/2 cup craisins (infused w/ cherry juice)
  • 1/4 cup candied ginger (coarsely chopped)
  • 1/2 cup pecans (coarsely chopped)

Coating

  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter (melted)

Glaze

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons orange juice (freshly squeezed)
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest
  • 1 teaspoon unsalted butter softened

Instructions

  • Heat milk until warm to touch, 110-115°F. Add to bowl of stand mixer with paddle attachment. Stir in yeast and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar. Let stand 5 minutes, mixture will start to look frothy.
  • Whisk eggs with vanilla, then add to mixer bowl. Add remaining sugar, butter, oil and orange zest. Mix on low speed until combined.
  • Add 2 cups flour and kosher salt, stir on low speed until incorporated. Scrape bowl and switch to dough hook attachment. Gradually add remaining 2 cups of flour and continue to mix 2 minutes on low/med speed.
  • Add dried cherries, craisins, ginger, and pecans; mix until just incorporated. Dough will be sticky.
  • Turn dough on to lightly floured surface and use a dough scraper to help knead until dough has smoothed out and becomes more elastic, about 2-3 minutes. Form dough into a ball and place in lightly greased large bowl, turning dough to oil top. Cover and let rise at room temperature until doubled, about one hour.
  • Make the coating: Add sugar, cinnamon, and kosher salt to a jar or covered container and shake to combine. Pour into shallow bowl. In a separate shallow bowl, melt butter in microwave.Spray a 9¾-inch or 10 to12 cup Bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Forming the monkey bread: Punch down dough and turn out onto clean countertop. Pat out dough to approximately a 14-inch round. Using a bench knife, cut dough in to 1½ inch strips, then cut 60-70 one-inch pieces. Roll each piece of dough in to a ball, dip in melted butter, then roll generously in cinnamon sugar.
  • Layer balls in prepared Bundt pan. Cover and let rise 20 minutes. Adjust oven rack to lower third position. Preheat oven to 350°F while bread is rising.
  • Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then invert on serving platter.
  • Make the glaze: Stir together powdered sugar, orange juice, orange zest, and butter. Drizzle over warm monkey bread and serve.

Notes

Recipe in partnership with Ingles Table.