Amish Friendship Bread

Important Note: Do NOT refrigerate.  It’s normal for batter to rise, bubble and ferment.

Day 1:  Do nothing, this is the day you received the batter.  Go by date on bag.

Day 2:  Mush the bag.

Day 3:  Mush the bag.

Day 4:  Mush the bag.

Day 5:  Mush the bag.

Day 6:  Add to the bag - 1 cup sugar, 1 cup flour, 1 cup milk, then mush the bag.

Day 7:  Mush the bag.

Day 8:  Mush the bag.

Day 9:  Mush the bag.

Day 10:  Follow the instructions below:

Pour entire contents of the bag into a NON-METAL bowl.

Add 1 1/2 cup each of flour, sugar, and milk.

Measure out 4 separate batters of 1 cup each into four 1 gallon Ziploc bags.  Keep a starter for yourself and give the other three to friends along with a copy of this recipe.

Preheat oven to 325˚F.

To remaining batter in the bowl, add: 

    3 eggs

    1 cup oil (or 1/2 cup oil and 1/2 cup applesauce)

    1/2 cup milk

    1 cup sugar

    2 teaspoons Cinnamon

    1/2 teaspoons Vanilla

    1 1/2 teaspoons Baking powder

    1/2 teaspoon Baking soda

    1/2 teaspoon salt

    2 cups flour

    1 large box instant vanilla pudding mix or your favorite.

Grease 2 large loaf pans and in separate bowl mix 1/2 cup sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon.  Dust the greased pans with half of this mixture.

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

Bake 1 hour.  Cool until bread loosens from pan evenly (about 10 minutes).

If you keep a starter for yourself, you will be baking every 10 days.  The bread is very good and makes a great gift.  Only the Amish know how to create the “starter” so if you give them all away, you’ll have to wait until someone gives you one back.

Enjoy!