Murphy224

Quite a few years ago I had a recipe for an Amish Friendship starter. I don't remember where I got it, so no going back to the source. I remember it used fruit that you put in a jar and feed for several weeks, then drain and use that for a cake. I thought of that recipe the other day and can not find in my recipe collection anywhere. Thought it might be a good gift item for the holidays.
Does anyone have a tried and true recipe for the starter and the cake?
Thank you so much.
Murphy

toverly

I don't have the recipe but I do have fond memories of it. About 20 years ago it went around among the ladies of my church. We were all looking for someone to take this starter. I got rid of mine by hosting the coffee at the end of the service one Sunday and baking it all up in muffins. It reminded me of really good banana bread though it had no bananas in it. I'll be watching to see if someone has it.

Stitchnripper

Mr google offers this one. There are others. Try googling and see if you get one that looks familiar. I had a starter a long time ago that didn't use milk.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/allreci...d-starter/amp/

Watson58

Google 'friendship fruit starter'.

thimblebug6000

When we first were married 34 years ago, this was the "rage" and so I was given some starter. That fermented smell of the fruit took some getting used to when you took the lid off to stir things. There were many variations that's for sure, fun memories!

charley26

Is this it?
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/...riendship-cake

thimblebug6000

So tonight I looked through my old recipe box and found this:
Starter:
1 cup sliced peaches, drained & cut up
1 8 oz can pineapple chunks
3 maraschino cherries
1 ½ cups sugar
1 ½ packs dry yeast
.... Combine yeast, peaches, pineapple, cherries, and sugar. Stir with a wooden spoon 3 or 4 times the first day. Then stir daily for 2 weeks. Store on counter in glass jar with lid barely set on..... Then continue...
Friendship Cake: Put 2 cups sugar and 28 oz peaches into large jar with starter. Stir daily....on 10th day add 2 cups sugar and 19 oz crushed pineapple. Stir daily. On 20th day add 2 cups sugar and 2 9 oz jars maraschino cherries, drained. Stir daily. On 30th day drain off starter and give 1 ½ cups to each of 5 friends (will keep 10 days in fridge)

Ingredients for Cake: 4 pk white or yellow cake mix with pudding; 16 eggs; 1 ½ cups oil; 4 cups chopped walnuts. Use 2 pks to coat fruit. Mix 2 pks with eggs & oil... Add fruit mix. Fill loaf pans ½ full. Line pans with brown paper. Cook at 350 * F for 60 min.
Yield: 7 loaf pans.

Maybe this is what you are looking for?

Stitchnripper

That is the one I used but never made cake. We are it in vanilla ice cream. It was delicious.

Murphy224

That does look a lot like I remember, but I don't remember getting 7 loaves! Be easy enough to halve. Thank you so much. I do remember it had canned peaches and maraschino cherries but not much else. Quick question: the part of the recipe that states mix 2 pks to coat fruit and then 2 pks with eggs and oil.....the "2 pks" are the cake mixes, right?
Now to get the calendar and figure out when to start to have those loaves by the holidays.....
again thank you for looking up your recipe.
Murphy

Murphy224

Yes, when I did a google search, I came across some that used milk, the one I remember did not. But it does sound interesting. May have to give the "milk" one a try someday. The one thimblebug posted below is more like I remember with peaches and cherries and a long long fermentation period.