This is a stupendous recipe and as old as the hills.  I thought it might be a good recipe for bakers to fool around with now because it takes a couple of weeks to make and August is too damn hot to cook or bake.  So make your starter and before you know it, you'll have a nice jar of it right around the time it’s cool enough to bake again.  

This is a very simple recipe/addition but this finished batter adds astonishing flavor and character to any cake you make with it.  Essentially it's a ferment and the batter becomes alcoholic.  (But do not drink it!) (unless you're a hardcore alcoholic in which case, be festive and add a maraschino cherry!)

Before you start, a few rules for the batter:

1. stir the batter every day with a wooden or plastic spoon - do not let metal touch the batter.  I can't say why, only that you can't.  (my guess is it turns green and/or detonates)  I can tell you this - stirring becomes a habit, particularly if like me, you are OCDish.  After a while you might forget to stir it for a day or two or the airlines won't let you take it with you when you go out of town.  The batter will survive. Maybe. 
2. if due to extreme neglect your batter has become odd smelling, moldy or looks like the moon surface, throw it out and start again.  But usually, after you've slapped yourself silly for forgetting this exquisite concoction, you'll find it has survived your neglect and managed to endure (assuming you've kept it fed).  
3. use a glass jar and seal it with plastic but allow a little leeway so air gets in and out while it ferments, otherwise it MAY explode.  I've never had one explode on me, but I've come close.
4. do not refrigerate - find a nice quiet corner of your kitchen for your batter and keep it fed and stirred and you will have a lifetime of perfectly fattening cakes and breads that your soul will thank you for while the scale groans beneath your pudgy toes.  

FRIENDSHIP BATTER aka Herman

Mix together in a glass jar: 

1 c. flour
1 c. sugar
1 c. milk

• day 1 - mix and stir
• day 2 - stir
• day 3 - stir
• day 4 - stir
• day 5 - add and stir - 1 c flour, 1 c sugar + 1 c milk
• day 6 - stir
• day 7 - stir
• day 8 - stir
• day 9 - stir
• day 10 - stir.  Make your bread following the recipe below and invite 2 friends over for coffee and a slice.  Give each one a cup of starter batter and the recipe for starter and the bread.   You might put the starter in a Mason jar with a pretty ribbon around it and the recipe nicely printed and attached. 
• Or if you're very young or enjoy the darker arts, feel free to go gothic and grab that urn that holds Aunt Faloonia, dump the ashes and give it a good rinse.  (she'd much prefer to be set loose anyway)  A nice black ribbon around it with the recipe printed in a creepy nearly unreadable font will surprise and delight your friends!  
• When all that's done, add to your remaining batter:  1 c flour, 1 c sugar + 1 c milk and the cycle starts again.

This is a lovely gift for any baker, newlywed, family member or friend who enjoys homemade breads.  Encourage them to share their Friendship batter and bread recipe with two others when they've created their batch following the recipe you give them. 

These starters can last lifetimes - it's simply a matter of keeping it fed and alive.  I’ve heard of families that have kept their batters going for generations.  There is one story of an older "Herman" that held an entire Amish clan hostage for a week.  

If you forget to stir or add fresh ingredients (shame shame!) and your batter dies or develops mold, throw it away and start again or it may grow humongous and sporeish and ooze from it's container, seeking vengeance upon you and yours for your callous disregard of it's simple needs. 

I digress.

AMISH FRIENDSHIP BREAD (Herman Bread)

2 cups Amish starter, room temperature

2/3 cup oil

3 large eggs

1 cup sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup nuts, optional

1/2 cup raisins, optional

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Grease and flour two 9x5-inch loaf pans or one good sized bundt pan (some bakers use butter and powdered sugar for the pans).
• Mix together the starter, oil, eggs and sugar.
• Mix dry ingredients together and add to starter mixture – don’t over mix.
• Add nuts and dried fruit and pour into prepared pans.
• Bake for 35 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean.
• Cool 5 minutes before placing on a rack to cool.
• Note: Baking time varies. Begin watching bread after 30 minutes.

I like to serve it sprinkled with powdered sugar or with a thin sugar glaze drizzled while it is still warm.  

Other ingredients that can be added are: bananas, apples, peaches, dates, crushed pineapple or other canned fruit, drained (save the syrup and add it to the fermenting batter).  Use any nuts or fruits you enjoy in any combination.  I've used zucchini, pumpkin and coconut,  I've increased the nuts  - I just step up the spices and/or change the extract.