Amish Friendship Bread

Background: I've had this recipe for a few years and tend to make it for bake sales or as gifts since you can use up all of the batter easily that way. It is SO good!

Originally from: a previous coworker

Makes 2-4 loaves (see below)
Approximate time, from prep to table: 10 days...yep, seriously.

Notes:
-If you have received a "starter" from someone else, you should ask when day 1 was so that you know where to pick up the recipe. You will skip step 1 below.
-Do not use metal containers or metal utensils during the first 9 days.
-You can freeze the starter in 1 cup measures for later use. Frozen starter will take at least 3 hours at room temperature to thaw before using.
-This is kind of a complex recipe because there are different options and ingredients are added throughout the ten days. Make sure to read through the whole recipe and plan ahead. For instance, you don't want to go on vacation in the middle of the recipe or run out of sugar!

Days 1-9:
Ingredients:
1 package of active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
3 Cups flour, divided
3 Cups sugar, divided
3 Cups milk, divided

Day 1: In a small bowl, dissolve 1 package of active dry yeast in 1/4 cup warm (110F) water. Let stand for 10 minutes. In a 2-quart non-metal container (or, my preference, a 1 gallon ziploc bag), combine 1 cup flour and 1 cup sugar, using a non-metal spoon. Mix thoroughly or flour will lump when milk is added. Slowly stir in 1 cup milk and dissolved yeast mixture. Cover loosely (or seal ziploc bag) and let stand. Consider this day 1 of the 10 day cycle. Leave loosely covered at room temperature (if in a Ziploc bag, make sure to check often and let excess air out of the bag).

Days 2 through 4: Stir starter with a non-metal spoon once per day. Or, if in a Ziploc bag, let the excess air out and squeeze the bag to stir. (That smell is normal.)

Day 5: Stir 1 cup flour and 1 cup sugar in a small bowl. Add this mixture and 1 cup milk to the starter.

Day 6 through 9: stir once per day and let out excess air as needed.

Day 10 - Baking Day:
Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk
4 1-gallon Ziploc bags (1 for each cup of "starter" that you save)

For each set of 2 loaves that you make, you will need these ingredients:
2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup oil
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp sugar
2 cups flour
3 large eggs
2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup milk
1 large (5.1oz) box instant vanilla pudding
1 tsp vanilla
Optional: 1 cup nuts, 1/2 cup raisins (I prefer the bread without either)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 F.

Stir 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, and 1 cup milk into the starter. This "starter" can be used in the below recipe or saved in 1 cup increments for the future. (At this point in the recipe, you have some options. Based on how your starter did, you can generally make 2 loaves and 3 starters; 4 loaves and 2 starters; 6 loaves and 1 starter; or up to 8 loaves--you'll be the belle of the bake sale.)

Follow these directions to make 2 loaves of Amish Friendship bread:
Mix 1/2 tsp cinnamon and 2 Tbsp sugar in a small bowl. Coat two large loaf pans with cooking spray and then sprinkle the mixture evenly into the bottom of both of them.

In a large bowl, mix together: 1 cup sugar, 2 cups flour, 2 tsp cinnamon, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp baking soda, and 1 box of instant vanilla pudding (can also add the optional ingredients of 1 cup nuts, 1/2 cup raisins). In a medium bowl, mix together: 1 cup oil, 3 large eggs, 1/2 cup milk, and 1 tsp vanilla. Combine 1 heaping cup of the starter with the liquid ingredients. Then pour the liquid ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Pour evenly into the 2 loaf pans that have been prepared as directed above.

Bake both loaf pans at the same time and on the same oven rack in the middle of the oven for at least 1 hour at 325F. Test both with a toothpick before removing from the oven (I've noticed that they sometimes need more time since the bread is so dense). Cool in pan for a few minutes and then remove loaves and cool on cooling rack.

More cinnamon and sugar may be sprinkled on top of the cooled loaves. Hey, no one said this was a low-calorie dessert! Just go for it!

You can then wash and dry your loaf pans and make more loaves or save leftover starter in 1 cup increments. You can put them in your freezer for a future 10-day process, start the 10-day process over, or give 1 cup of starter and these directions to bored, over-achieving friends.

Note/Tips: You'll want to pop the loaves in the oven as soon as you mix the dry and wet ingredients (aka: the baking soda and powder are activated), so make sure that the oven is already pre-heated. I would recommend pre-heating the oven for at least 15 minutes prior to baking because these are very dense breads. I recommend serving this with breakfast, although snacking on it throughout the day is very much encouraged.