Friendship Fruitcake Starter 🍰
Overview:
Start your journey to a delightful Friendship Fruitcake with this unique starter recipe! This starter is not just a prelude to a delicious cake but a symbol of sharing and camaraderie. Though the prep time may seem daunting, the end result is worth every moment invested. 🕰️
- Prep Time: 30 minutes (plus 30 days for the starter to mature)
- Total Time: 30 days
- Servings: Enough starter for 5 cakes
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup red maraschino cherries 🍒
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 4 cups canned peaches with syrup 🍑
- 1 1/2 cups canned pineapple chunks with juice
- 1 packet (1/4 oz) active dry yeast
Instructions:
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Day 1: In a 1-gallon glass jar with a wide mouth and lid, combine the peaches, pineapple, maraschino cherries, sugar, and yeast (ensure the yeast is well mixed with syrup).
- Stir the mixture twice on the first day.
- Stir once a day afterward.
- Do not refrigerate, keep loosely covered.
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Two weeks later: 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 to use in the cake recipe. Reserve 1 1/2 cups starter juice and leave it in the glass gallon jar.
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Renewing the Starter:
- Day 1: To the reserved 1 1/2 cups starter juice, or starter juice from a friend, add 2 1/2 cups sugar and a 2-lb can of peaches with syrup. Stir daily, keeping loosely covered.
- Day 10: Add 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar and a 2-pound can of pineapple chunks with juice. Stir daily, keep loosely covered.
- Day 20: Add 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar and 8 to 10 oz drained and halved maraschino cherries. Stir daily, keep loosely covered.
- Day 30: Drain fruit, reserving 1 1/2 cups juice for renewing the starter. Use drained fruit to make cakes, share excess starter juice with friends, and start a new batch of fruit.
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Using the Starter:
- At the end of 30 days, you will have enough excess starter juice to share with about four friends. Ensure to keep enough juice (1 1/2 cups) for your own starter.
- You will also have enough fruit to use 1 3/4 cups in each cake, enhancing flavor without waste.
- The cakes can be frozen, and any remaining fruit mixture can be refrigerated until used.
Nutritional Information (per serving):
- Calories: 319.1
- Fat: 0.2g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
- Sodium: 4mg
- Carbohydrates: 81.7g
- Fiber: 2.1g
- Sugar: 79.4g
- Protein: 0.9g
Keywords:
Quick Breads, Breads, Fruit, Low Protein, Low Cholesterol, Healthy, Christmas, Weeknight, No Cook, Easy, Inexpensive
Note:
This Friendship Fruitcake Starter isn’t just about baking a cake; it’s about nurturing relationships and sharing the joy of homemade treats. Enjoy the process of creating and passing on this special tradition to your loved ones! 🥰🎂
