Best 3 Friendship Cake With Brandied Fruit Starter Recipes

FRIENDSHIP FRUITCAKE AND STARTER WITH BRANDY

Steps:

• Day 1: in a large bowl, combine brandy (or starter from a friend), 2 cups sugar and peaches; cover; store at room temperature.
• Stir daily.
• Day 5: Add 2 cups sugar and pineapple.
• Stir daily.
• Day 10: Add 2 cups sugar and cherries.
• Stir daily.
• Day 15: Drain fruit mixture; divide fruit in half.
• Reserve half for later use.
• Divide juice to make 3 or 4"starters" (at least 1-1/2 cups juice for each).
• Give juice"starter" to friends for use within 1 to 2 days.
• TO MAKE CAKE: Heat oven to 350 F degrees.
• Grease three 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pans.
• Combine half the fruit and nuts in a large bowl; flour with 1/2 pkg (about 2 cups) cake mix; set aside.
• Blend 1-1/2 packages cake mix, eggs and oil in another large bowl on low speed of mixer till moistened; beat 2 minutes at medium speed.
• Pour batter over fruit-nut mixture; mix thoroughly.
• Pour into pans and bake 60 minutes.
• Do not open door or prick or pat to test for doneness.
• Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans.

STARTER FOR FRIENDSHIP FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• In a 1-gallon glass jar with a wide mouth and lid, combine the peaches, pineapple, maraschino cherries, sugar and yeast (make sure the yeast is well mixed with syrup).
• Stir mixture two times the first day.
• Stir once a day afterward.
• Do not refrigerate this mixture.
• Keep loosely covered.
• Two weeks after starting the starter, add 1/2 cup peaches and 1/2 cup pineapple with syrup.
• Wait for several days, stirring daily, and drain 2 cups of mixed fruit and use to make cake as directed in the cake recipe.
• Reserve 1 1/2 cups starter juice and leave in glass gallon jar.
• Count this as Day One, and start the process for renewing the starter and making the cake.
• DAY 1: To reserved 1 1/2 cups starter juice (or to starter juice given you by a friend), add 2 1/2 cups sugar and a 2-lb can of peaches with syrup.
• Stir daily.
• Keep loosely covered.
• Do not refrigerate.
• DAY 10: Add 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar, a 2 pound can pineapple chunks with juice.
• Stir daily.
• Keep loosely covered.
• Do not refrigerate.
• DAY 20: Add 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar and 8 to 10 oz drained and halved maraschino cherries.
• Stir daily.
• Keep loosely covered.
• Do not refrigerate.
• DAY 30: Drain fruit, reserving 1 1/2 cups juice for renewing starter.
• Use drained fruit to make 3 cakes (see recipe), give excess starter juice to friends, and start a new batch of fruit (repeat aforementioned process).
• At the end of 30 days, you will have enough excess starter juice to give to about four friends.
• Be sure to keep enough juice (1 1/2 cups) for your own starter.
• At the end of 30 days, there will be enough fruit to use 1 3/4 cups fruit in each cake, which makes the cake better and doesn't waste the fruit.
• The cakes can be frozen.
• It is not necessary to bake all three cakes the same day, but stir the remaining fruit mixture every day until it is used (this fruit mixture can be refrigerated until used).
• The drained fruit can be frozen until you are ready to bake the cakes.

FRIENDSHIP FRUIT STARTER

Steps:

• In a large glass jar, combine drained pineapple chunks, drained apricot slices, drained sliced peaches, drained maraschino cherries, brandy and sugar. Stir gently with wooden spoon. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 3 weeks, stirring at least twice a week. Drain and reserve the liquid - This liquid is your starter for the Thirty Day Friendship Cake.