Amish Friendship Bread

I first received a friendship bread starter from a friend at church years ago, before I had kids. I really enjoyed it, but had not received or made another starter since then. My sister Jen received a starter from a coworker and shared it with me. It was a nice surprise and I have enjoyed sharing it again.

Let's make this clear. This is not bread. This makes a cake. A sweet cake. A very good, sweet cake. My friend Anne said that she even cut down the sugar used in the bread recipe (not in the starter instructions, just in the last step before baking), and it still tasted plenty sweet.

Amish Friendship Bread
Source: Lynette Pearce and my sister Jen

*Do not refrigerate.
*If air gets in the bag, let it out.
*Do not use a metal bowl or spoon for mixing.
*It is normal for the batter to thicken, bubble, and ferment.

Day 1: This is the day you receive your starter; do nothing.
Day 2: Squeeze the bag.
Day 3: Squeeze the bag.
Day 4: Squeeze the bag.
Day 5: Squeeze the bag.
Day 6: Add 1 cup of all-purpose flour, 1 cup of sugar, and 1 cup of milk. Combine well with a wooden spoon.
Day 7: Squeeze the bag.
Day 8: Squeeze the bag.
Day 9: Squeeze the bag.
Day 10: Combine in a large (non-metal) bowl: the batter, 1 cup of all-purpose flour, 1 cup of sugar, and 1 cup of milk. Mix with a wooden spoon. Pour out three 1-cup "starters" of this batter in large Ziploc bags, and give to your friends along with these instructions.

To the remaining batter in the bowl (you should have 1 1/2 -2 cups) add:
1 cup canola oil
1/2 cup milk
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 large box instant vanilla pudding
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Mix all ingredients well. Pour into two large (8 1/2 x 4 1/2) greased and sugared (with a mixture of sugar and cinnamon) loaf pans. You can sprinkle extra sugar and cinnamon on top if desired. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour. Enjoy

-Variation: Jen's recipe called for 1 cup of milk, 1/2 cup oil, no vanilla, and no nuts. It also suggested baking it in a Bundt pan at 325-350 degrees for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Jen's recipe also had you add 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 1/2 cups sugar, and 1 1/2 cups milk on Day 10. This makes enough to give away four 1-cup "starters" to friends.