Amish Friendship Bread

Nobody really knows exactly who made up the original recipe.  Except that it originated with the Amish people and has been altered, added to and changed as it has been handed on along the way.  Most say that it started from them and that they are the only ones that know how to make the 'starter'.  Well, those 'most' must not know about this wonderful little thing called the internet.  And thankfully for it, I have been able to get the original base of the recipe, how to start the 'starter'.  And now I am giving it to all of you. 

For the Starter:

2 cups of all-purpose flour
2 cups of warm water
1 package of dry yeast (DO NOT SUBSTITUTE WITH A RAPID RISE DRY YEAST-IT WILL EXPLODE!)

Directions for Starter:

Make your starter right in a large one gallon-size double zipper zip-lock bag. Just dump in all three ingredients, seal and mush very well.  Do Not Refrigerate it at any point.  Label the outside of the bag with the current date using a sharpie marker or permanent pen.  Just leave the bag/ bags out on your kitchen counter so you do not forget about them and - NEVER- use a metal spoon or bowl at any time (use plastic or wooden). 
Day 1:  (Day after the date on the bag) Do nothing
Day 2:  Mush the bag
Day 3:  Mush the bag
Day 4:  Mush the bag
Day 5:  Mush the bag
Day 6:   Add 1 cup sugar, 1 cup flour and 1 cup milk right into the bag, reseal it and mush it all together.
Day 7:  Mush the bag
Day 8:  Mush the bag
Day 9:  Mush the bag
Day 10:  Follow the directions below

     1.  Pour the starter out of the bag into a non-metal bowl (remember you should be using a wooden   or a plastic spoon too).
     2.  Stir in 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 cups of sugar and 1 1/2 cups of milk (I used 2%).
     3.  Using a 1 cup dry ingredient measuring cup, measure out 1 cup of the batter and place into another new 1 gallon-sized plastic double zip-lock bag; repeat 3 more times to end up with 4 new starters.  You can hand them out with a copy of this recipe to family and friends or freeze them by placing them into another freezer zip-lock bag and into the freezer immediately (the yeast will stay active for up to 6 months-defrost on the counter and start off again on the schedule).  Just make sure to keep one back for yourself so you can retreat your family with 2 more loaves of this amazing sweet bread in 10 days :)
     4.  Preheat your oven to 325*.
     5.  Then add the following ingredients into the bowl with the remaining batter:

3 eggs (at room temperature and beaten)
1 cup of canola oil
2 tsp. of ground cinnamon
1 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of milk (again I used 2%)
1/2 tsp. of real vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp. of baking powder
1/2 tsp. of baking soda
2 cups of all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. of salt
1 large package or 2 small packages of INSTANT  Vanilla Pudding mix (or any kind you prefer, you can even split the batter once you have added in everything except the pudding mix and then use 2 different flavors for 2 separate kind of loaves.  ex:  1 banana loaf and 1 pistachio loaf)

     6.  Grease 2 loaf pans.
     7.  Sprinkle the inside of the pans with a nice coating of cinnamon and sugar.
     8.  Pour the batter equally into the 2 loaf pans. 
     9.  Sprinkle the top of each loaf with more cinnamon and sugar.
     10.  Bake at 325* for about 1 hour.  If you are using a dark pan, shorten the time to 50-55 minutes.  Always check to see if they are done by inserting a wooden toothpick into the center of each loaf.  If it comes out dry then they are done.  One starter makes 2 loaves and 4 starters.  Enjoy!