Amish Friendship Bread.

So, about two weeks ago, a friend of mine gave me an Amish Friendship Bread recipe and starter. Upon looking at the recipe, I discovered much to my dismay, that the delicious-sounding recipe would not have immediate satisfaction. I had been craving something freshly baked for a few days, but my cravings would have to hold out for another, *gulp*, TEN DAYS.

The Amish Friendship Bread. It is a "cake" as I like to call it that is typically cinnamon flavored. It is a ten-day recipe, but well worth the waiting, and super simple to make. I'm pretty sure it is called the "friendship" bread because when you are through with the recipe, you have to give out three of bread recipes to friends.
The recipe starts with an Amish "starter"; simply yeast, sugar, milk, flour, eggs, and vanilla. I'm not sure about the exact recipe, it being an "Amish secret" and all, but here is the recipe for the rest of the bread.



AMISH FRIENDSHIP BREAD.
(Amish friendship cinnamon bundt cake)



DO NOT REFRIGERATE. When there is air in the bag, open it and let it out. It is normal for the batter to rise, bubble, and ferment.

Day 1: Do nothing with the batter.
Day 2: Mush the bag. Simply mush around the contents of the bag by lightly pressing down on it with the palm of your hand. Let the air out of the bag, and reseal it.
Day 3: Mush the bag. Do the same as day 2.
Day 4: Do the same thing.
Day 5: Do the same thing.

Day 6: Add 1 cup of sugar, 1 cup of flour, and 1 cup of milk to the bag. Seal it, and mush it.

Day 7: Mush the bag, let out air.
Day 8: Mush the bag, do the same thing.
Day 9: Mush the bag, do the same thing.

Day 10: Follow the instructions--

Pour the entire contents of the bag into a NON-metal bowl and add:
1 and 1/2 cup flour
1 and 1/2 cup sugar
1 and 1/2 cup milk

Measure out four separate batters of 1 cup each into four one gallon ziplock bags. Keep one bag of starter for yourself and give the other three to friends along with these instructions. If you keep one bag for yourself, you will be baking every 10 days.
NOTE: My recipe, which I have made twice now, only came out to THREE cups, so I dont know whats up with this recipe.

The bread is very good and makes a great gift. "only the Amish" know how to create the starter (though im sure you could find it online), so if you give all the bags away, you will have to wait until someone gives you a starter!

BAKING INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour 2 large loaf pans or you may use a bundt pan. I used a bundt pan both times and it came out fantastic!

Sift dry ingredients. Woops, i just reread this, and I forgot to do this BOTH times I made the bread, but mine still came out amazing.

To the remaining batter in the bowl, add:
3 eggs
1 cup oil
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanillla
1 and 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 large box vanilla pudding (the first time I used instant, which was WONDERFUL, and the second time i used the 'cook and serve' which still came out great, but I prefer the instant for this bread)

Split the batter equally between the two pans, or evenly into the bundt pan. Mix an additional 1/2 cup sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon and sprinkle over the top of each loaf. ( I only used about 1/3 cup of the mix, and the top came out nice and crispy)

BAKE FOR ONE HOUR.
Cool until bread loosens from the pan evenly. Enjoy!


I loved this cake because of the crispy top and soft, moist, delicious middle. It tastes amazing!