Butterscotch Coffee Cake

This is the classic overnight monkey bread that breakfast hosts pull out when they want to look like a hero without actually waking up early. Frozen dinner roll dough does the heavy work overnight, slowly thawing and rising in a bundt pan blanketed with butterscotch pudding mix, cinnamon, brown sugar, and a generous melted butter pour.

The trick to good results is starting cold. Pull the dough rolls straight from the freezer and arrange them in a single, even layer before any of the sugar mixture touches them. Even arrangement means even rising and a uniform finished cake without lopsided sections.

Dry butterscotch pudding mix is what makes this taste like more than a cinnamon roll. It melts during the bake into a caramelly, lightly salted glaze that coats every roll and forms those sticky, lacquered ridges on the inverted top.

Don’t skimp on the pecans. They toast in the oven heat as the cake bakes and add the crunch that contrasts beautifully with the soft, pull-apart dough underneath.

The invert-immediately step is critical. Wait too long and the caramelized butter glaze hardens into the pan, taking half your cake with it.

Pro Tips

• Set your bundt pan in a low-traffic spot overnight. A draft slows the rise.
• If your kitchen is cool, the rise can take a full 8 hours. Plan accordingly.
• Place a baking sheet under the bundt pan in the oven to catch any caramel drips.
• Run a knife around the edges before inverting to release any stuck spots.

Variations

• Swap butterscotch pudding for vanilla or caramel for a different flavor profile.
• Add a quarter cup of raisins or dried cranberries between the rolls for fruity bursts.
• Drizzle with a quick powdered sugar glaze after inverting for extra sweetness.