"Keep it Going" German Friendship Cake

Karen=^..^='s Note:

Yes, this sounds bizarre, but it really is tasty and I have had some that was going around for months. It is a nice thing to start at work, school, church, etc. Try it...it's like a chain cake instead of a chain letter :)

• Total Time: 240 hrs 50 mins
• Prep Time: 240 hrs
• Cook Time: 50 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 10

Starter

• 1 cup flour
• 1 ¼ cups water
• ½ package dry yeast

First Day and Fifth Day

• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup sugar

Tenth Day

• 2 eggs
• 2⁄3; cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple , well drained
• ½ cup raisins
• ½ cup chopped nuts

Topping

• ¼ cup butter
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon flour

Directions:

1. Mix starter ingredients in a bowl and let stand at room temperature undisturbed for 24 to 36 hours.
2. (If you already have your one cup of starter from a friend, disregard the above.) Place starter in a medium bowl and combine it with the"First Day" ingredients.
3. Cover and refrigerate.
4. Stir once a day for 5 days.
5. On the 5th day, place in a larger bowl and add the"Fifth Day" ingredients.
6. Cover and refrigerate.
7. Stir once a day for 5 more days.
8. Remove 3 separate cups of starter and give each cup to 3 friends with the recipe and instructions.
9. (They will not need to mix their starter or let it sit for 24 to 36 hours because you are giving them their starter.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
10. Combine all of the"Tenth Day" ingredients with the remaining mixture.
11. Pour into a greased and floured 9 x 13" pan.
12. Combine topping ingredients and sprinkle on top.
13. Bake for 40- 50 minutes.

Reviews

[Bonita Hester]

I haven't tried your particular recipe yet but remember many years ago a friend gave me a cup of starter that sounds similar to this. According to her, the starter was from a batch that was many years old and had come a long way. I never checked the validity of this but had no reason to doubt her word. My job with my portion was to "feed" it a cup of flour and a cup of milk (or water--can't remember) every week. As I needed it for biscuits or whatever, I took the amount out I needed. The important thing was never to forget to feed it or it would die. Sadly I don't have the starter now as I must have slipped up years ago! At any rate, it was super and made great biscuits, quick breads, pancakes, etc.

[Steve Moyer]

This is a moist, delicious cake. The hardest part of the recipe is waiting the ten days.

[Ann Anderson]

I had a 'mixture' for over 8 years which made 3 cakes every 10 days - it was a very similar recipe and process. Apples were the suggested fruit but I have used just about every fruit there is - banana, pineapple and apple being the most successful. Over the years I exhausted my friends and contacts who wanted to have a 'share' and used to make the cakes and freeze them. The wonderful thing about this mixture was that you could leave it/forget it/ignore it for days but it would soon come back to life with the addition of milk, flour and sugar. I had to finish with my 'old mixture' when we emigrated to New Zealand but I will be starting another one soon !