Herman the German Friendship Cake

[Cornish Cream]

I was recently given Herman the German Friendship Cake starter.I had great fun with Herman and the end result was a beautiful cake plus passing starters onto three friends who also enjoyed Herman's company

To Make Your Own Herman the German Friendship Cake Starter
INGREDIENTS
1 pkg active dry yeast(7g)
¼ cup lukewarm water
1 cup plain flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup warm milk
METHOD
1. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water for about ten minutes. Stir well.
2. Add flour and sugar. Mix thoroughly or the flour will get lumpy when you add the milk.
3. Slowly stir in warm milk. Loosely cover the mixture with a lid or plastic wrap. The mixture will get bubbly. Consider this Day 1 of the cycle, or the day you receive the starter.
For the next ten days, handle starter according to the instructions for Herman the German Friendship Cake.
German Friendship Cake: Introducing Herman
Hello. My name is Herman, I'm a sourdough cake, I'm supposed to be on the worktop for ten days without the lid on.
You cannot put me in the fridge or I will die!
If I stop bubbling I am dead.
Day 1 Put Herman in a large bowl capable of holding 2 litres. Stir him and loosely cover with clingfilm.( I just covered mine with a tea towel)
Day 2 Stir well.
Day 3 Stir well.
Day 4 Herman is hungry! Add the following ingredients, stir well and cover again:
110g plain flour, 220g sugar, 250ml milk.
Day 5 Stir well.
Day 6 Stir well.
Day 7 Stir well.
Day 8 Stir well.
Day 9 Herman is hungry again. Add the same ingredients as Day 4. Divide into four equal portions and give three away to friends, along with a copy of these instructions. Keep one of these portions if you want to make a new cake.
Herman No 4 stays with you and is ready to be baked the next day.
Day 10 Herman is very hungry indeed! Stir well and add the following ingredients:
220g sugar, 220g plain flour, 2 eggs, 2 heaped tsp cinnamon, 2 heaped tsp baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, 175ml oil (sunflower or olive), 2 cooking apples, peeled, cored and cut into chunks, 140g raisins/sultanas (optional), 70g walnuts (optional).
Mix all the ingredients into Herman and put into a large greased roasting dish. Sprinkle with brown sugar and dot with 50g of butter.
Bake at 180C/gas mark 4. Check after 35 minutes — he may need 45 minutes.
A friend hates dried fruit so used a combination of 2 pears chopped with 140g of chocolate chips and 70g pecans,it was delicious
Any combination of fruits and nuts will work
Cranberry/ white chocolate/pecans
Apple/Date/walnuts
Let your imagination run wild!!!
This cake freezes well

[Lellyj]

Oh wow, CC!  I remember my mum having a friendship cake starter bubbling away in the kitchen years ago when we lived in the US.  That would be 31 years ago to be precise.  I can't remember what happened to it, but we did keep it going for a long time.  Will have to renew the tradition, I think. Thanks!

[Cuilidh]

That looks like fun, CC.  Any chance of a photo?

[fundj&e]

 i have no friends  . i guess i could bake all 4 and  freeze them  .

[Cuilidh]

You've got heaps of friends, Uni ... but don't let that stop you from baking and freezing all four 'Hermans'.

[hools003]

Omg CC, I remember when we lived in England, my mum making a Herman cake! I can clearly remember the dilemma mum had when we went away on holidays, what to do with the starter. The secret was to make sure you had plenty of friends doing it so that you could get some back off them. I'm almost positive that we used to keep it in the fridge though. I'll have to check with mum.
I'm going to try this and see if it brings back memories.

[judydawn]

CC, what a wonderful posting - I read it with a smile on my face whilst thinking what clear, explicit instructions were given with the recipe.  I've never heard of this before and like Marina, would love to see a photo and also know the size of the roasting dish you use. It must make one big cake if it is the size of mine.

Uni, you have lots of friends here - you could share yours with relatives or make them all for the restaurant. If it makes you feel any better, I can't think of too many of my friends that I could pass the starter onto as only a couple of them bake their own goodies and the rest would rather accept a piece of cake than have to do the feeding & cooking themselves. 

I'm sure this recipe will be tried by some of our forum members so I look forward to your photos.

[dede]

Uni
I will be your friend

[fundj&e]

thanks ladies , i really dont have many friends that like cooking, actually have no friends that like cooking 

[jeninwa]

I had a friendship cake years ago that I made think it was an Amish friendship cake, I would be hard pressed to give any starters away these days, none of my friends bake, they would be happy if I made them all a cake.

[cookie1]

I remember Mum had a friendship cake going many many years ago. Well over 45 years I'd say. It was very popular until everyone in the town had starters and you couldn't give them away any more.
I might give this a go. Thanks CC.

[dede]

So can you keep Herman going? Or would you need to start a new Herman batch from day 1 again?
I could give one to my mum, sister and um,um,um,um I have no idea as most of my friends don't cook either. Maybe the MIL.
But would I have to plan it so I would be seeing these people on day 9 so for them to be able to make the cake on day 10?

I would love to make a Herman friendship cake once I know the answered to my questions. Sounds really interesting.

[cookie1]

I think your Mum etc would treat Herman as day 1 for them dede. You could keep the 4th lot for yourself and then make another Herman in 9 days time.
CC says in step 3 of the method to treat that as day 1 or the day you receive the starter.
I hope I haven't confused you too much.

[dede]

I think I understand. But if I can make the cake the following day from dividing the mixture into 4, wouldn't that mean that so could the other 3 people?

[fundj&e]

i get it now, you give it away in step 3 in the method,is the right  Cornish Cream ?