How To make German Friendship Cake

1 c Cake starter

STARTER FOOD:

1 c Milk
1 c Flour, self-raising
1 c Sugar

CAKE:

2 c Flour, self-raising
1 c Sugar
2/3 c Oil
2 t Cinnamon
2 t Vanilla extract
2 Eggs
1/2 c Raisins
1/2 c Nuts (or other fruits)
15 oz Pineapple chunks,
-drained (one can) PREPARE STARTER: Day 1: Blend the starter feed together, and then hand mix in the starter. I find it easiest to mix the flour and sugar together dry, add the milk to the starter, and then slowly add the flour and sugar to the liquid. The starter should never be beaten with a blender or refrigerated. Pour the mixture into a large bowl, cover with cling-film or a damp towel, and leave to brew. Day 2: Thoroughly mix the sourdough, then leave to brew again. Day 5: As day 1 Day 6: As day 2 Day 10: Print off three copies of this recipe. Here now is why this is called a friendship cake. Take 3 cups of Sourdough mixture, and give them away with copies of the recipe as starters to your friends. Then proceed with the baking. MAKING THE CAKE: Blend all ingredients thoroughly with remaining starter. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Pour mixture into a well-greased baking tin. Bake for 1 3/4 hours (less in a fan oven), cool. NOTES: * A 10-day Sourdough cake -- This is known as the friendship cake, it's a bit like a chain letter in that you have to find a set of friends to pass on the starter to. During preparation put the starter into a very large bowl (it foams up), and cover with a lid or with cling film. Yield: Starter and one cake. * If you don't get cake starter from a friend, you can probably buy it in a baking supply store. * Vary the spices to taste. The cake is quite pleasant if you forget them. : Difficulty: easy. : Time: 10 days brewing starter, 30 minutes preparing cake, 2 hours baking and cooling. : Precision: measure the ingredients. : Andrew Macpherson : STC Telecommunications, Harlow Technical Center, England : andrew@tcom.stc.co.uk : Copyright (C) 1986 USENET Community Trust