I first had the bread baked from this process and recipe for breakfast at my daughter's house. My son-in-law, Gordy Hunt, had made the original cinnamon and also a banana version of the bread.

Gordy got his starter from my niece, Cheryl Miller. This is a combination of her bread recipe and the somewhat different starter recipe she provided.

The recipe makes a moist breakfast or snack bread, and the bread can be frozen. Once you have the basic bread in hand, the variations are endless and only limited by your imagination.

 

Amish Friendship Bread Starter and Cinnamon Bread

THE STARTER

Do not use metal bowl, only glass, ceramic, or plastic.

Day One

1 (.25 oz) pkg active dry yeast
1/4 c warm water (110 °F, 45°C)
3 c all-purpose white flour
3 c white sugar, divided
3 c milk

1. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Let stand 10 minutes.
2. In a 2 quart container, combine 1 c flour and 1 c sugar. Mix thoroughly.
3. Slowly stir in 1 c milk and the dissolved yeast mixture. Cover loosely and allow to stand at room temperature.

Days Two, Three, Four

Stir mix with a spoon.

Day Five

Stir in 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup milk

Days Six, Seven, Eight, and Nine

Stir mix with a spoon.

Day Ten

1. Stir in 1 and 1/2 cups flour, 1 and 1/2 cups sugar, and 1 and 1/2 cups milk.
2. Remove 1 and 1/2 cups of starter for your first loaf of bread.
3. There will be four cups of starter left over. You may:

1. Give three of the four cups to two friends, and put the fourth cup in a bowl to start the process all over again. If you do this, you will have four cups of starter again in 10 days, and will have to bake again.
2. Freeze the three cups, or freeze all four cups of starter. When a cup is removed from the freezer, it must thaw at least 3 hours at room temperature before using.

AMISH CINNAMON BREAD

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Place your cup of batter in a bowl and add:

3 eggs
1 and ½ tsp baking powder
1 c oil (or ½ oil & ½ applesauce)
½ tsp. baking soda
½ cup milk
½ tsp. vanilla
1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 large box of vanilla instant pudding
½ tsp. salt
Optional: 1 cup raisins & 1 cup chopped nuts

Mix all ingredients well.

1. Grease bottom and sides of 2 loaf pans or spray with Pam.
2. Mix ½ cup sugar and 1 ½ tsp cinnamon in a small bowl.
3. Dust the insides of each pan with half of the mixture, making sure to cover the bottom and sides well.

Pour batter evenly into the 2 pans and sprinkle with remaining sugar and cinnamon mixture over the top of the batter.

Bake for approximately 1 hour (until toothpick come out clean). Cool until the bread loosens from the pan easily. Turn onto serving dish. May be served warm or cold.