Rita Heikenfeld's Friendship Bread

FRIENDSHIP BREAD YEAST STARTER
Leave this on the counter, don’t refrigerate. Put in a large bowl, covered lightly with plastic wrap. Or put in large baggie. Instead of stirring with spoon, squeeze the bag.

I like to give both a loaf of the bread and a starter to friends and family. The friendship bread is sweet, more like a cake, and so yummy!

Starter: (this is if you are starting from scratch, with no “starter” from a friend.)
Stir together 1 cup each flour, sugar, milk plus 1 envelope dry yeast. Let sit one day.
Days 2 through 5: stir with spoon
Day 6: add 1 cup each flour, sugar, milk
Days 7 through 9: stir with spoon
Day 10: add 1 cup each flour, sugar, milk. Stir and put 1 cup mixture into 3 separate containers. Give two away and use the last as your new starter.

Note: When you give the starter away, use these directions:
Day 1: do nothing
Days 2 through 5: stir with spoon
Day 6: add 1 cup each flour, sugar, milk
Days 7 through 9: stir with spoon
Day 10: add 1 cup each flour, sugar, milk. Stir and put 1 cup mixture into 3 separate containers. Give two away and use the last as your own new starter.


FRIENDSHIP BREAD #1
Because of the pudding in the batter, this is sweeter than #2.
With what’s left in the bowl, beat in the following:
3 eggs
1 cup oil
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

In a separate bowl, stir together and then beat with egg mixture:
2 cups flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped nuts (opt)
1 large box instant vanilla pudding (5 oz approx)
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon or more

Follow directions above for preparing pans. Bake at 325 for 50-60 minutes.

FRIENDSHIP BREAD #2:
With what’s left in the bowl, beat in the following:
2/3 cup oil
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1-1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups flour

If you want, you can throw in a handful of raisins, chopped fresh fruit, nuts, etc. Pour into two sprayed and sugared loaf pans (sprinkle sugar in the pans on the bottoms and sides and dump out excess). Or mix in a bit of cinnamon with the sugar. Bake at 350 for 50-55 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pan.