Friendship Fruitcake Recipes

Steps:

• Day One: In a large glass jar or bowl, combine 2 cups of the starter with 1 can of the sliced peaches and their juice (each slice chopped into 4 pieces). Add 2 1/2 cups of the white sugar and stir once every day for 10 days. When not stirring mixture, keep it covered with a paper towel, foil, or a loose lid. Let sit at room temperature. Don't refrigerate it or cover it airtight. A pan of water underneath the jar or bowl will keep the ants out.
• Day Ten: Add 1 can of chunk pineapple and its juice. Cut each chunk of pineapple in half. Stir in 1/2 cup of white sugar. Stir once everyday for 10 days. The color should change, and the mixture should foam when stirred.
• Day Twenty: Slice each cherry in half, and stir in. Add 2 1/2 cups of the white sugar. Stir once every day for the final 10 days. The cherries will give the juice back its pinkish color.
• Day Thirty: Drain fruit and reserve it and the liquid. The fruit will be used in the cake. Pour the liquid into 3 glass or ceramic pint jars. One for you to start your next cake, and two for friends. Cake must be started within 3 days after receiving the starter, or you should freeze the starter to use at a later date. Do not use plastic or metal containers to store liquid!
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9x13-inch baking pans.
• It's best to mix the two cakes separately. Combine 1 box of the cake mix, 1 box of the instant vanilla pudding, 2/3 cup of the vegetable oil, and 4 of the eggs. Stir, then add 1/2 of the drained reserved fruit from the starter. Stir, then add 1 cup of the golden raisins, 1 cup of the chopped nuts and 1 cup of the coconut. Stir until all ingredients are combined. The batter will be stiff. Pour batter into the prepared cake pan. Repeat for cake number two.
• Bake cakes at in the preheated oven for 55 to 65 minutes.

Steps:

• Brandied Fruit Starter should last indefinitely if handled properly. Use clean equipment and keep it covered. Combine all ingredients in a clean, nonmetal bowl; stir gently. Cover and let stand at room temperature 3 weeks, stirring fruit twice a week. Serve fruit over ice cream or pound cake when desired, reserving at least 1 cup starter at all times. To replenish starter: Add 1 cup sugar and one of the fruits (pineapple chunks, peaches, apricot halves or maraschino cherries) every 1 to 3 weeks, alternating fruits each time; stir gently. Cover and let stand at room temperature 3 days before using again. When you have 6 cups you can divide the fruit and start a second glass container or give 3 cups away or make the Friendship Cake. *Apricot or peach brandy may be substituted, if desired. FRIENDSHIP CAKE MIX: Combine in a gallon glass jar 2 1/2 cups sugar, 1 1/2 cups brandied fruit Starter and 1 (32-ounce) can sliced peaches with juice; stir all together; stir several times the first day and thereafter, stir once each day. Keep covered and at room temperature. On Tenth Day add: 1 (32-ounce) can chunk pineapple with juice 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar Stir once a day for 10 days. On Twentieth Day add: 1 (32-ounce) can fruit cocktail with juice 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar 1 (10-ounce) jar maraschino cherries with juice, diced Stir once a day for 10 days. On Thirtieth day: Drain liquid from fruit. Divide the juice into 1 1/2 cups each. Place in jars with tight lids and give to a friend with a copy of recipe as soon as possible. Divide fruit into thirds. Makes 3 cakes. Cakes can be frozen after they are baked. Juice or fruit cannot be frozen. Friendship Cake Mix Recipe: Combine all ingredients together, mixing well. Bake in greased and floured Bundt pan at 350°F (175°C) for 50 to 60 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 15 minutes before removing. Cool completely on wire rack.

Steps:

• Line the bottom of a springform angel food cake pan with waxed paper, grease well, then flour.
• In large mixing bowl of electric mixer, combine dry cake mix and oil.
• Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well.
• Add fruit; mix well.
• Fold in nuts.
• Pour batter into prepared pan.
• Bake in a pre-heated 350- degree oven 40 minutes, then reduce heat to 300 degrees and bake 35 to 40 minutes more, or until cake tests done.
• Shake pan to loosen cake from sides and let sit 10 minutes.
• Lift the center of the pan out and turn cake onto cake plate.
• Remove waxed paper.
• Turn cake right-side up before serving.
• Sprinkle with confectioners sugar if desired, or top with cream cheese frosting.
• This cake tastes better when cold.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°. Combine fruit and nuts. In another bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture and mix well. Pour over fruit and nuts; stir to coat. , Transfer to a greased and floured 10-in. tube pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 2 hours. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Wrap tightly and store in a cool place. Bring to room temperature before serving; slice with a serrated knife.

Steps:

• Day 1: in a large bowl, combine brandy (or starter from a friend), 2 cups sugar and peaches; cover; store at room temperature.
• Stir daily.
• Day 5: Add 2 cups sugar and pineapple.
• Stir daily.
• Day 10: Add 2 cups sugar and cherries.
• Stir daily.
• Day 15: Drain fruit mixture; divide fruit in half.
• Reserve half for later use.
• Divide juice to make 3 or 4"starters" (at least 1-1/2 cups juice for each).
• Give juice"starter" to friends for use within 1 to 2 days.
• TO MAKE CAKE: Heat oven to 350 F degrees.
• Grease three 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pans.
• Combine half the fruit and nuts in a large bowl; flour with 1/2 pkg (about 2 cups) cake mix; set aside.
• Blend 1-1/2 packages cake mix, eggs and oil in another large bowl on low speed of mixer till moistened; beat 2 minutes at medium speed.
• Pour batter over fruit-nut mixture; mix thoroughly.
• Pour into pans and bake 60 minutes.
• Do not open door or prick or pat to test for doneness.
• Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans.

Steps:

• (Do not refrigerate). Keep on counter top in gallon jar.
• Stir several times daily.
• This will make enough fruit for 3 cakes.
• Cover jar with a cloth, not a lid.
• Combine 1 cup sugar, peach juice and pineapple juice, stir everyday for 2 weeks.
• Next combine 1 1/2 cups starter, 2 1/2 cups sugar and cut up peaches with juice, stir for 10 days.
• Then add 2 1/2 cups sugar and pineapple with juice, stir for 10 more days.
• Then add 2 1/2 cups sugar, fruit cocktail with juice and chopped up cherries, stir for 10 more days.
• Then drain fruit juice from fruit and give to friends for a starter 1 1/2 cups to 4 or 5 friends.
• To make the cake: mix all cake ingredients together, pour into greased and floured bundt pan.
• Bake at 350°F for 50 to 55 minutes.
• This cake freezes well if you would like to freeze a couple for later.
• To make the icing: Beat all icing ingredients until fluffy.
• Double icing recipe for three cakes.

Steps:

• In a large glass jar, combine drained pineapple chunks, drained apricot slices, drained sliced peaches, drained maraschino cherries, brandy and sugar. Stir gently with wooden spoon. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 3 weeks, stirring at least twice a week. Drain and reserve the liquid - This liquid is your starter for the Thirty Day Friendship Cake.

Steps:

• In a 1-gallon glass jar with a wide mouth and lid, combine the peaches, pineapple, maraschino cherries, sugar and yeast (make sure the yeast is well mixed with syrup).
• Stir mixture two times the first day.
• Stir once a day afterward.
• Do not refrigerate this mixture.
• Keep loosely covered.
• Two weeks after starting the starter, add 1/2 cup peaches and 1/2 cup pineapple with syrup.
• Wait for several days, stirring daily, and drain 2 cups of mixed fruit and use to make cake as directed in the cake recipe.
• Reserve 1 1/2 cups starter juice and leave in glass gallon jar.
• Count this as Day One, and start the process for renewing the starter and making the cake.
• DAY 1: To reserved 1 1/2 cups starter juice (or to starter juice given you by a friend), add 2 1/2 cups sugar and a 2-lb can of peaches with syrup.
• Stir daily.
• Keep loosely covered.
• Do not refrigerate.
• DAY 10: Add 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar, a 2 pound can pineapple chunks with juice.
• Stir daily.
• Keep loosely covered.
• Do not refrigerate.
• DAY 20: Add 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar and 8 to 10 oz drained and halved maraschino cherries.
• Stir daily.
• Keep loosely covered.
• Do not refrigerate.
• DAY 30: Drain fruit, reserving 1 1/2 cups juice for renewing starter.
• Use drained fruit to make 3 cakes (see recipe), give excess starter juice to friends, and start a new batch of fruit (repeat aforementioned process).
• At the end of 30 days, you will have enough excess starter juice to give to about four friends.
• Be sure to keep enough juice (1 1/2 cups) for your own starter.
• At the end of 30 days, there will be enough fruit to use 1 3/4 cups fruit in each cake, which makes the cake better and doesn't waste the fruit.
• The cakes can be frozen.
• It is not necessary to bake all three cakes the same day, but stir the remaining fruit mixture every day until it is used (this fruit mixture can be refrigerated until used).
• The drained fruit can be frozen until you are ready to bake the cakes.

Steps:

• FRIENDSHIP CAKE STARTER Combine fruit cocktail with juice, peaches with juice and 2 1/2 cups sugar in large jar. Stir with wooden spoon until sugar is dissolved, cover loosely ~ don't close the lid completely. It will explode. Let stand at room temperature. Stir once each day for 10 days. Add pineapple with juice and 2 1/2 cups sugar, mix well. Stir once each day for 10 days. Add cherries (cut in half) with juice and remaining 2 1/2 cups sugar, mix well. Stir once each day for 10 days. Remove fruit and store in a covered plastic container in refrigerator. Store starter juice in covered plastic container in refrigerator. May store in refrigerator indefinitely. Fruit Yields enough for 3 cakes. To start the process again start with 1 1/2 cups of starter juice an add the fruit & surgar in the order given above. Give 1 1/2 cups of starter juice to 2 friends. For Cake mix all cake ingredients. Place in a oiled & floured bundt pan. Bake in a 300 degree F oven for one hour. When cooled, dust with powdered surgar or frost with crean cheese frosting.