Let's try that again...30-day Friendship Cake Part I

Last year I shared my 30-Day Friendship Cake recipe with everyone. I made two mistakes. I was a fairly new blogger and didn't have my holiday act together, so I posted that recipe a little too late for anyone, including myself, to complete the whole process before Christmas, which is why I make these cakes - Christmas gifts for two special people in my life.

Also, I posted the whole shebang in one shot and I think I overwhelmed everyone. I'm pretty sure you were all thinking, "Nuh uh!"

This year I'm determined to make these friendship cakes. If any of you are interested in following along with me, I plan to post the whole process as I go, in three parts. This is part one (duh). Last night, I started my starter. I know. That sounds funny.

As an overview, I'll tell you that it takes three weeks to make the fruit starter. Once you have the starter, it takes 30 days to make the brandied fruit you will use in the cakes. So because I'm making the starter this year, next year I'll already have it on hand and the whole process will only take 30 days from start to finish. The starter keeps forever and ever, in your freezer.

The recipe makes two friendship (bundt) cakes. At the end of the process you'll have three fruit starters (one to keep and two to give away with the cakes).

Because I started my starter yesterday, the whole process will be done on November 29th and I'll bake the two cakes. They freeze beautifully so I'll be able to complete this in plenty of time for Christmas. That also gives me plenty of time to find two pretty plates to put the cakes on.

When I give this cake as a gift, I also give that person a jar of the starter and a nice hand-written copy of the recipe, so she can continue the tradition if she'd like to. A friendship cake is an on-going tradition and my original starter, which I lost in our move to Grand Junction, went back several generations in the family of the friend who gave me the cake (my boss's wife :-)

This might be a good time to mention one other little thing. These cakes are delicious. They're a "fruitcake" but not the kind you probably think. They're a white, light fruitcake. Don't even think about that other kind of fruitcake - no comparison - promise!

If you'd like to see the whole process in one post, and promise not to get scared, you'll find it HERE. Meantime, it's a lot less complicated looking if you just follow along with me.


So here's what you need to make your starter.

1 15-ounce can pineapple chunks, drained
1 15-ounce can apricot halves, drained
1 15-ounce can sliced peaches, drained
1 10-ounce jar maraschino cherries, drained
1 1/4 cups brandy
1 1/4 cups sugar
a large glass jar with a loose fitting lid
a wooden spoon

I couldn't find a 15-ounce can of pineapple chunks, so I used two 8-ounce cans - close enough.



I simply dump all the cans of fruit into my collander and drain it in the sink. You don't need to save the liquid from the fruit.



I prefer the fruit in smaller pieces so I cut each peach and apricot into smaller pieces and I cut the cherries in half. This fruit isn't going into the cakes. But if you refrigerate it, it's a really good topping for pound cake or ice cream. You don't have to do this, though. It's not necessary to cut the fruit smaller unless you want to.



Here are the actual instructions:

In a large glass jar, combine drained fruit, brandy and sugar. Stir gently with a wooden spoon. Cover and let stand at room temperature for three weeks, stirring (with a wooden spoon) at least twice a week. Drain and reserve the liquid. This liquid is your starter for the 30 Day Friendship Cake.

You will now have 6 cups of brandied fruit which should be kept refrigerated. This fruit can be served over ice cream or pound cake.

If the cake is not started within three days, the fruit starter should be placed in a glass jar (never plastic or metal) with a lid and frozen. Always use a wooden spoon to stir, never metal or plastic.



See? It's not scary. LOL This jar will sit out of the way on my kitchen counter for three weeks. Two tips. I keep the lid slightly askew - this fruit is fermenting and I don't need an explosion in my kitchen. LOL And...if you happen to live where ants are a problem, you can place this jar in a pan with water in it. That will keep any sugar-searching ants away.


Oh! This is probably the most important thing you need. A calendar! You'll want to mark the day you started this so you know when three weeks are up.


This is one of my favorite holiday traditions. It makes me feel wonderful to do this and give two special people a friendship cake for Christmas.

I'll be back with Part Two a few days before October 30th, which is when my starter will be finished.

I'm trying really, really hard not to scare you. How did I do? :-)