Mary Cutshall's Recipe

Friendship Cake

Category: Recipes

Starter: Takes 3 weeks to ferment

1 20 oz. can drained pineapple chunks
1 16 oz. can drained peach slices
1 16 oz. can drained apricot halves
1 10 oz. jar drained maraschino cherries
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cup Brandy

Combine all above in a LARGE glass jar. Stir gently with a wooden spoon and let stand at room temperature. Cover lightly so it can vent while "working". I use a huge mason jar that used to be my grandmother's, poke holes in a lid, cover lid with a papertowel to keep out gnats and ants and tighten with the ring.

Stir the mix gently at least twice a week for 3 weeks.

Makes about 9 cups.

To feed and maintain the starter:
Every 2 weeks add 1 cup sugar and EITHER 1 can of pineapples, peaches or cherries. Alternate fruit with each feeding.

To share with a friend: when you have more than 6 cups, divite it into 2 portions just before you do a feeding. Feed each portion and give one to your friend.

Cake:
In one bowl-
1 1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 cups cugar
3 eggs, well beaten
Mix with electric mixer.

Add
2 teaspoons vanilla and beat well

In another bowl sift together-
3 cups all purpose unbleached flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teasoppn salt

Blend in batter (this will be extremely thick).

Add

3 cups chopped friendship fruit, well drained
2 cups mixed dried fruit (raisins, cherries, apples, etc.), optional
1 cup chopped nuts, optional

Bake at 325. Time depends on pan size, see below. This cake will rise some so allow space so it doesn't overflow the pan.

My findings are a
-traditional bundt takes about 1 hour and 45 minutes, makes 1 cake.

-small rings (I don't buy them, I take old sauce pans that have lost the handles and place an empty soup can in the center for a small bundt ring) and they take about 45 minutes or so, makes about 5 depending on pan size.

-loaf pans took me about an hour, makes 3 (again, depending on loaf size)