The starter mix for a Friendship Cake

Starter mix | Fruit and Nut Friendship Cake

When myself and Dave were young our mother used to make friendship cake and it was delicious. The topic came up on a group that I am a member of, Frugal Genius UK. I asked Masie, one of the members, if she minded me putting it on this site, she did not. She added "I can't credit where it came from originally as my Mum got it from acolleague at work and that was over 20 years ago." Which really does show how friendship cake works, so get baking and get giving. I think it work in a similar fashion to pyramid marketing schemes, only no one looses out and all end up with great cake.

Here is the starter recipe and a fruit and nut recipe (which you can vary) to try once you have the starter. I have used a conversion chart for the weights and measures so they are not exact, Masie recommends that you use an ordinary cup as long as you use the same cup it is O. K.

Friendship cake starter recipe

Use a large mixing bowl

1 cup (250g/8oz) SR flour
1 cup (300g/10 fl oz or half pint) milk
1/2 cup (125g/4 oz)sugar
2 tsp dried active yeast

NB. I normally use a normal mug

Mix all together then leave 2 days

Continue as below

IF MIXTURE HAS BEEN GIVEN TO YOU

Day 1 - Place in a large mixing bowl and cover with a tea towel
Day 2 - Leave well alone
Day 3 - FEED - 1 cup (250g/8oz) SR flour
                          1 cup(300g/10 fl oz/half pint) milk
                          1/2 cup (125g/4 oz) sugar
                          stir and cover
Day 4 - Stir and cover
Day 5 - Stir and cover
Day 6 - Divide into 3 parts, give 1 or 2 away
Day 7 - ADD to 1 part - 2 cups (500g/8oz) SR flour
                                       3/4 cup (180mls/5ish fl oz)Vegetable Oil
                                       1/2 tsp salt
                                       1 tsp mixed spice
                                       2 beaten eggs
                                       1 cup(250g/4oz) sugar

Mix well and bake in 2lb (1kg) loaf tin 11/2 - 2 hours

Gas 2
250 -300 F
140 C

Fruit & Nut Friendship Cake

Ingredients

1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup (250g/8oz) sugar
2 cups (500g/16oz) Plain flour
2/3 cup (100g/2.5fl oz) vegetable oil
2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup(250g/8oz) chopped apples
3 cups (750g/24 oz) starter
1 cup(250g/8oz) raisins or chopped nuts
1 egg plus 2 egg whites

Method/Procedure

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl, set aside. In another large bowl mix starter, egg and whites, sugar, oil and vanilla. Add flour mixture, apples and raisins or nuts. Pour into a greased and floured loaf pan. Bake at Gas 4, 180¡C, 350¡F for an hour. Cool, then dust with icing sugar.

This recipe can be adapted to taste you could try any combination of fruit and nuts as long as the total equals 2 cups (500g/16oz).

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