Amish Friendship Bread

pumpkin with strusel topping

butterscotch bread

top: banana

bottom: cranberry orange

Over the years I have received a starter for this bread many times. Eventually I get tired of it, or my friends don't want one anymore, and I end up throwing it away.

Now I have figured out a way to make it just for me, and learned from my friend Rebekah that you can freeze the starter when you need a break for a couple of months. You can freeze the starter at any point, just remember what day you left off on for when you take it back out again.

Day 1-5: Squeeze bag of starter several times until batter is well mixed.

Day 6: Add 1/3 cup flour, 1/3 cup sugar, and 1/3 cup milk. Squeeze bag well to mix.

Day 7-9: Squeeze bag of starter several times until batter is well mixed.

Day 10: Add 1/3 cup flour, 1/3 cup sugar, and 1/3 cup milk. Squeeze bag well to mix.

Take out 1 cup of starter and place in a new ziploc bag for your next batch.

Place remaining starter in a large glass or plastic bowl.

Preheat oven to 325.

Add each ingredient in order, stirring after each, to make sure batter is smooth. Use a wooden or plastic spoon only.

1 cup oil

1 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

1/2 cup milk

3 eggs

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 small boxes or 1 large box of vanilla pudding

Grease 2 bread pans (metal pans are fine). Sprinkle the pans with sugar. Pour in batter. Bake at 325 for about one hour (or until golden brown and tester comes out clean).

Variations (our favorite ones)

*Use butterscotch pudding instead of vanilla.

*Use banana pudding and add 2 mashed bananas.

*Use lemon pudding, 3 tbsp poppy seeds (omit cinnamon), and 1 tbsp lemon zest.

*Add one cup dried cranberries, 1 tbsp orange zest, and 3/4 cup chopped nuts (optional).

*stir in 1/2 cup of pumpkin, 1/2 tsp cinnamom, 1/4 tsp ginger and nutmeg