While most refer to the middle of September to the end of November as “fall” in the South, this year, I’m calling it “shower season.”

As a 23-year-old woman, all of my friends are starting to move into new phases of their lives all at once. Between this month and the end of the year, I’ve been invited to so many different wedding/bridal/baby showers that I can hardly keep track of who I’m celebrating when.

Almost all of my weekends are booked by parties filled with finger sandwiches, punch, light hors d’oeuvres and light conversation. And for all of them, I am expected to make some kind of contribution.

So, in preparation for a brunch-themed wedding shower this weekend, I started searching for a recipe that I could bring to the party.

I wanted a sweet dessert, since most shower spreads tend to lean on the sweet side to begin with. But nothing too heavy or rich, since you have to be able to have conversations and free hands at a shower. I also wanted something a little unique for the fall season.

But more than anything, I wanted to find a recipe that was easy, so I could recreate it for all of the other showers to come. That’s when I found this recipe, which I adapted from The Pioneer Woman: a Cinnamon Roll Pull-Apart Loaf.

So, after a quick grocery store run to purchase the four (yes, four) cans of cinnamon rolls, along with the additional cream cheese and cinnamon that I’d need, I pulled out my bundt pan and cutting board and got to work.

Y’all, my kitchen smelled so good. Every step of the way, I thought it couldn’t get better, and then it did. First, it was while I was cutting up the cinnamon rolls and taking out the icing. Then, it was mixing together the cinnamon and sugar. Then, it was adding the vanilla to the butter mixture.

But the best part was when the whole thing went into the oven. About 20 minutes into baking, my whole house was filled with the best smell anyone could ask for. And when the loaf came out of the oven? It smelled heavenly.

It’s best hot, or at least warm, I’ll admit that, so I would recommend serving it as fresh as you possibly can, or waiting to pour on the icing until serving. But it’s so good even once it’s fully cooled that I don’t think anyone will mind. I certainly didn’t.

This loaf was just a trial run, thankfully, because my husband and I could not stop snacking on it. The next one, I’ll have to make right before I leave for the shower. Otherwise, I may show up with a piece missing. Or maybe two. Or three. You get the idea.

CINNAMON ROLL PULL-APART LOAF

Ingredients
4 12-ounce cans cinnamon rolls
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 stick unsalted butter (1/2 cup)
2 tablespoons salted butter (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
2 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
Nonstick cooking spray

Directions
■ Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Open the cinnamon roll tubes and remove the frosting cups; set them aside to come to room temperature. Separate the dough into individual cinnamon rolls and cut each roll into 4 pieces.
■ In a large mixing bowl, combine the granulated sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
■ In a small saucepan, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat. After it is melted, continue to cook it for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, or until the foam and butter underneath are golden brown. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla until the mixture bubbles up. Once the bubbles have subsided, whisk in the brown sugar until smooth and well combined.
■ Meanwhile, thoroughly spray a 12-cup nonstick Bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray. Add half of the cinnamon roll pieces to the mixing bowl with the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Toss well to coat the pieces. Place the pieces in the Bundt pan, creating an even layer.
■ Drizzle with half of the butter-brown sugar mixture.
■ Toss the other half of the cinnamon roll pieces in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. (If the butter-brown sugar mixture solidifies, add salted butter and return to heat, stirring smooth before drizzling.)
■ Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the monkey bread has puffed up about 1 inch in the pan and the top is deep brown. Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then place a dinner plate over the top of the pan.
■ With oven mitts, hold the pan and dinner plate together, then flip over. Carefully remove the bundt pan and let it slide out onto the plate. (This will be easiest while still warm!)
■ Meanwhile, mix the cream cheese in a mixer with a paddle until very smooth. Add in the contents of the frosting cups, mixing well to combine. Dollop the icing all over the top of the loaf, letting it drizzle down the sides. Serve immediately.