The Amish Friendship Bread Recipe

Important Note: Don't use metal spoons or equipment. Do not refrigerate. Use only glazed ceramic or plastic bowls or containers.

Required Main Ingredient

1 cup live yeast starter (see above)
day 1:
Do nothing with the starter.
days 2-5:
Stir with a wooden spoon.
day 6:
Add 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, and 1 cup milk. Stir with a wooden spoon.
days 7-9:
Stir with a wooden spoon.
Day 10:
Add 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk. Stir. Take out 3 cups and place 1 cup each into three separate plastic containers. Give one cup and a copy of this recipe to three friends. To the balance (a little over one cup) of the batter, add the following ingredients and mix well.
1 cup oil
1/2 cup milk
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
In a separate bowl combine the following dry ingredients and mix well:
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 - (5.1 oz) box instant vanilla pudding
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup nuts
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Mix and pour into two well greased and sugared bread pans. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour.

Variations:
Omit cinnamon and vanilla pudding in the basic recipe and add two bananas (mashed)


Omit cinnamon and vanilla pudding from the basic recipe and add 1 - (5.1 oz) box of instant chocolate pudding, 3 tsp. cocoa and 3/4 cup chocolate chips. Bake for 1-1/2 to 1-3/4 hours.


add one cup of raisins and one small diced apple.


Replace vanilla pudding with pistachio flavored and add chopped pistachios


Add 1 box of butterscotch pudding, instead of the vanilla, and 1 cup of butterscotch chips. Bake the cake in a 13" x 9" pan.


Replace the vanilla pudding with chocolate and add 1/2 cup each of chocolate chips and coconut. Use small (about 1 cup size) bundt pans and bake for 45 - 50 minutes

Substitute almond ALMOND flavoring for the vanilla flavoring

Use 1/4 cup cocoa,and either the vanilla or chocolate pudding can be used. Reduce the cinnamon to half (1 teaspoon).

Use lemon pudding and add 1/4 cup of poppy seeds.

Use dried pineapple and lemon instant pudding.

Lemon Coconut - Delete cinnamon, nuts and vanilla. Use lemon flavored pudding, add 1-tsp. lemon extract and 2 cups coconut.

Lemon pudding and cranberries

Use banana cream pie pudding and two mashed bananas.

Add 1 cup of grated zucchini. Make sure you squeeze out the excess liquid. bake for about 75 minutes but start checking after 50 minutes.

add 1 cup of craisins (dried cranberriesand the pecans.

dried apples and caramel instant pudding (makes it like caramel apples).

3/4 cup white chocolate chips, 3/4 cup macadamia nuts and use cheesecake pudding.

Substitute 2 tablespoons molasses for equal amount of sugar and add spices to make gingerbread.

a box of chopped dates and a cup of chopped pecans.

1 cup of drained crushed pineapple, 1 cup shredded coconut and pistachio pudding

Use 1 small box of orange jello, 1 c. drained mandarin oranges

use 1 small box of strawberry jello, 1 c. thawed strawberries.

add glazed fruit mix with walnuts and almonds for a mock fruit cake

to make it more healthy use 1/2 c oil and 1/2 c unsweetened applesauce instead of 1c of oil. use sugar free pudding.

Use cappicino pudding , 1/2 C. chocolate chips and 1/2 C. nuts of choice.

Apple Bread

1-1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup oil
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
2 tsp cinnamon
2 eggs
1 cup Amish batter *
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
Fold in by hand :
1 cup chopped nuts
3 cups diced fresh apples
Pour into 2 well greased loaf pans. Bake at 375 degrees F 50-60 minutes.
Chocolate Brownies

In a bowl, combine and mix well:
1 cup oil
1/2 cup milk
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup Amish Batter *
In a separate bowl combine the following dry ingredients and mix well:
2 cups flour
1- 1/2 cups sugar
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 - (5.1 oz) box instant chocolate pudding
3 heaping TBS of cocoa

1/2 tsp salt
1 cup pecans or walnuts
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Mix and pour into two well greased and sugared bread pans. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour.

Coffee Bread
Omit vanilla pudding; add 2/3 cup GF International Coffee (I like SuisseMocha) and chocolate chips. For cream cheese spread, beat 8 oz cream cheese with a packet of serving size Cappucino mix and 1/3 cup sugar.

Amish Cornbread

1 cup Amish batter *
2 eggs
1-1/2 c. milk
2 tsp sugar
1/2 cup flour
1-1/2 c. cornmeal
Combine in large bowl. Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes.
Add:
1/4 cup oil
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
Mix well. Pour in well-greased 9" pan. Bake at 425 degreesF 25-30 minutes.

Amish Pancakes & Waffles

Pancakes

Combine in large bowl:
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
Combine in smaller bowl:
2 TBS oil
2 cups Amish batter *
1/2 cup milk (plus/minus 1/4 cup)
1 egg
Add ingredients of smaller bowl to ingredients of large bowl and mix on medium speed.
Spoon batter onto greased griddle.
Waffles

Prepare batter for pancakes except increase oil to 1/4 cup.

Amish Cinnamon Rolls

2 cups flour
1 cup milk
1 cup Amish batter *
Combine and let set at room temperature overnight or 10-12 hours. Stir down.
Combine:
3 t. sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup shortening
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
Add into small bowl all at once to stir down. Pour dough out on well-floured board. Knead until no longer sticky. Roll out to 1/2" thickness in a rectangle shape. Brush dough with soft butter.
Combine:
1/4 cup sugar
1 TBS cinnamon
1/2 cup crushed nuts
Sprinkle cinnamon-sugar mixture over dough. Beginning at wide side, roll up, and seal seam.
Cut 1" slices. Place on well-greased cookie sheet. Let rise 30 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees F 30-35 minutes.

Rhubarb Muffins

For new twist to the basic recipe add 1 1/2 cups finely chopped rhubarb. Fill muffin tins 2/3 full. Add 1 tsp. of the following topping: 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup chopped nuts and 1tsp. cinnamon. Bake muffins for 20 minutes @ 325 degrees.

Amish Friendship Cookies

1 Cup starter
2 eggs
1 Tbsp molasses
3/4 cup butter
2 tsp vanilla
Mix well. Sift together:
2 Cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp salt.

Chocolate Chip Option: Add 1 extra cup flour. Add 2 cups chocolate chips and 1 cut nuts(optional)

Oatmeal Option: Add 2 cups oatmeal, 1 tsp nutmeg, 2 tsp cinnamon, 1 cup chocolate chips and 1 cup raisins.

Bake at 375 for 10 to 13 minutes.
Chocolate Covered Cherries Cake Variation

You use Cherry Jello instead of Pudding Mix. You use Marichino Cherry Juice instead of Vanilla Extract. You add 1/2 cup Marichino Cherries and 1/2 cup mini-chocolate chips.
I like to make this as a Bundt Cake topped with chocolate glaze and garnished with marichino cherries on the top. For Glaze (I never measure when I make glaze, I'm estimating here): about 1 tbsp cocoa powder, 1 or 2 cup confectioners sugar, 1-2 tbs marichino cherry juice and milk (as needed for consistency).

Cherry Cheese Cake Variation

omit the cinnamon and used two small boxes of cheese cake pudding instead of the vanilla and add a small pack of cream cheese and 1/4 cup more milk. You also need a can of Cherry pie filling , 1/2 can per loaf. After putting the batter into the pans dab teaspoons of cherries on top of them and swirl around with spoon to mix in the cherries. Cook at 325 until dark golden brown.

Pecan Peach Amish Friendship Bread

1/2 cup of sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 325F. Mix together the sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.

Grease 2 large loaf pans with shortening or Pam with Flour spray. Dust the greased pans with half of cinnamon sugar mixture.

About 2 cups of starter (or whatever you have left after you've measured out 4 cups to share)
3 eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup of unsweetened applesauce, at room temperature
1/2 cup milk (full, 2%, or skim will all work okay), at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups all-purpose flour (I prefer to use unbleached)
1 cup of toasted and chopped pecans
1 15 oz can of sliced peaches in light syrup, thoroughly drained and diced

In a separate bowl, mix together the eggs, oil, applesauce, milk, and vanilla until well combined (you can use a hand mixture for this step) and add it to the starter. Using a hand mixer or spoon, mix until all the ingredients are well incorporated.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, and flour. Add it to the starter batter and continue to mix on medium speed until it's well combined and no pockets of dry ingredients are visible.

Mix in the pecans and peaches with a wooden spoon until they are well distributed.

Pour the batter evenly into the 2 pans and sprinkle with the remaining sugar mixture over the top.

Bake both pans together in the oven 60 to 75 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of bread comes out clean. Cool until bread loosens from pan evenly (about 10 minutes). Remove from the pan and either eat it while it's warm or let it cool on a wire rack.
FRIENDSHIP CAKE STARTER

1 (16 oz.) can fruit cocktail
1 (16 oz.) can peaches
2 1/2 c. sugar
1 (20 oz.) can pineapple tidbits
2 1/2 c. sugar
1 (8 oz.) jar maraschino cherries
2 1/2 c. sugar
Combine fruit cocktail with juice, peaches with juice and 2 1/2 cups sugar in large jar. Stir with wooden spoon until sugar is dissolved, cover. Let stand at room temperature. Stir each day for 10 days. Add pineapple with juice and 2 1/2 cups sugar, mix well.
Stir each day for 10 days. Add cherries (cut in half) with juice and remaining 2 1/2 cups sugar, mix well. Stir each day for 10 days. Store in refrigerator. May store in refrigerator indefinitely. Yields enough for 7 cakes.
FRIENDSHIP CAKE:
1 (2 layer) pkg. white cake mix
1 1/2 c. Friendship Cake Starter
2/3 c. oil
4 eggs
1 c. chopped pecans
Combine cake mix, Friendship Cake Starter, oil and eggs in bowl, mix well. Stir in pecans. Pour into greased and floured Bundt pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour. Cool in pan few minutes. Invert onto serving plate. Can be baked in 2 loaf pans.