Description
Discover how to make authentic Amish Friendship Bread, a delightful cinnamon-swirled sweet bread made from a homemade starter. This traditional American bread has a moist, tender crumb with a hint of spice and nutty crunch, perfect for sharing or enjoying with a cup of coffee.
Ingredients
Starter:
- 1 package active dry yeast or 2¼ teaspoons
- ¼ cup warm water (about 110°F)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup milk
Feedings:
- 2 cups granulated sugar, divided
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
- 2 cups milk, divided
For the Bread:
- 1 cup starter
- 1 cup granulated white sugar
- 3 cups vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1¼ cups buttermilk
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup toasted chopped pecans
For the Cinnamon Sugar Mixture:
- ⅓ cup granulated white sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Activating the Yeast: In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water at about 110°F. Stir gently and let it sit for 10 minutes until frothy to confirm the yeast is active.
- Making the Starter: In a large non-metallic bowl, combine 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup all-purpose flour, and 1 cup milk. Add the frothy yeast mixture and stir thoroughly until well combined. Cover loosely and store at room temperature away from sunlight.
- First Feeding (Day 5): Add 1 cup sugar, 1 cup flour, and 1 cup milk to the starter. Stir until smooth and thickened. Cover and continue fermentation.
- Daily Stirring (Days 6-9): Stir the starter once daily to promote even fermentation and encourage yeast activity. The starter will become bubbly and rise in volume.
- Final Feeding (Day 10): Add another 1 cup of sugar, 1 cup flour, and 1 cup milk to the starter. Stir thoroughly to achieve a thick, pancake batter-like consistency with a sweet-sour aroma.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 325°F. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan or line it with parchment paper for easy removal.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large ceramic bowl, combine 1 cup starter, 1 cup sugar, and 3 cups vegetable oil. Whisk well. Add eggs, vanilla extract, and buttermilk, mixing until smooth and fully incorporated.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, sift together 2 cups flour, baking powder, sea salt, and cinnamon. Gradually add to the wet mixture, stirring just until combined to avoid overmixing.
- Fold in Pecans: Gently fold the toasted chopped pecans into the batter.
- Transfer and Top: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Mix ⅓ cup sugar with 1 teaspoon cinnamon and sprinkle evenly over the top of the batter.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 60 to 90 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool: Remove from oven and cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then transfer to wire racks to cool completely before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Use exactly 1 cup of the starter in your Amish Friendship Bread recipe; the rest can be shared or used to start another batch.
- Store leftover starter in a loose-covered non-metallic container in the refrigerator; feed it every 5-7 days and stir before and after feeding.
- If the starter develops an off smell like rotten eggs or mold appears, discard it and start fresh.
- Serve bread plain or with butter and honey for added flavor.
- Store leftover bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for extended storage.
