This Amish friendship cake uses sourdough starter. If you don't have any, see instructions to make your own that you can share with friends. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 9-inch loaf pans. Mix flour, sourdough starter, sugar, oil, eggs, baking powder, vanilla, and salt together in a bowl. Stir in chopped walnuts.
Ingredients 1 cup oil 3 large eggs ½ cup milk ½ teaspoon vanilla 1 cup granulated sugar 2 cups flour ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon baking soda 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder 2 teaspoons cinnamon 2 small boxes instant vanilla pudding 1 cup chopped nuts optional 1 cup Amish Friendship Bread Starter
Instead of using one cup of day 10 Amish friendship bread starter, you can add an extra 1/3 cup each of flour, milk and sugar to the batter. The result will be similar to working with a non-bubbly starter. Because this recipe uses buttermilk, your batter will still have some tang.
—Sylvia Ford, Kennett, Missouri Friendship bread is one of the most well-known Amish bread recipes. It uses a sourdough starter that can be shared among friends—hence the name, “friendship bread”—but you can also make your own starter. In Amish and Mennonite homes, home cooking is guaranteed delicious.