Sweet sourdough starter - usually used for Friendship cake
Friendship cake starter is a type of sourdough starter which you canʼt buy but are usually given by a friend. Itʼs a slow growing yeast mix which needs more flour from time to time to keep it going. It usually takes 7-10 days before you have enough active starter to be able to use some and keep some ( and maybe give some away). You could simply use the batch youʼve been given and cook with it but then you lose the resource of a yeast plant.
The starter doesnʼt have to be kept in the fridge and is best left open to the air- just covering with a tea towel or loose lid is sufficient. It grows at room temperature, but can be slowed down by placing in a fridge for a few days.
At the start
Its best to put the starter into a big glass bowl and cover loosely A tea towel or loose lid is ideal.
For a few days – just stir and marvel at the bubbles – it should be thick. You are supposed to use a wooden spoon but I have always used stainless steel with no ill effect.
After a few days – feed the starter with
I cup of plain white flour ( not as big as a mug but quite big) 1 cup of milk
1 cup of sugar
For another few days - stir and marvel at the bubbles again
Finally - after about a week since the start feed the starter again with one cup of each ingredient as above. Stir well and divide into a few portions about the size you started with ( about 1 cup full)
Use one portion to make this cake – or use a similar recipe of your own
1 cup of sweet sourdough starter
1 cup sugar
- (try half if you donʼt want the cake to be too sweet)
half tsp (teaspoon) salt
2 cups plain flour
2/3 (two thirds) cup of cooking oil
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 cooking apples cut into chunks
1 cup raisins
or sultanas or similar pre soaked if you have time.
2 heaped tsp cinnamon
2 heaped tsp baking powder.
Mix everything together and put into a large greased baking tin. Sprinkle with a quarter of a cup of brown sugar and a quarter of a cup of melted butter. Bake for 45 minutes at 170-180C.
(To be honest - its a bit of a weird idea - as you could just make the cake with raising agents as normal!!)
Alternative sweet n sour dough cake recipes
Ginger Cake :
1 cup of starter
2 cups (150g) self-raising flour,
1 tsp Baking Powder
1⁄2 tsp of salt,
11⁄2 tsp ground ginger,
1⁄2 cup oil
4 pieces (60g) stem ginger finely chopped,
1 tbsp ginger syrup from stem ginger jar,
2 heaped tbsp sultanas, pre soaked if you have time.
1- 2 eggs, or 1 egg plus a little milk/ juice etc
Optional 1 Tbsp dark muscavado sugar, or 1 tsp molasses
Mix everything together (except the syrup) and pour into a very well greased (and silicon lined) cake tin. Bake at 180 ish for 40 mins to one hour, depending on your tin/ oven etc. Test with a skewer to check itʼs cooked through and cool in tin for 10 mins before turning out – then pour the syrup over the top and leave on rack to cool.
Chocolate Cranberry Cake Recipe:
1 cup of starter
150g self raising flour,
250g sugar,
100ml oil,
1/2tsp salt,
1 tsp vanilla extract,
1tsp ground cinnamon,
1 tsp baking powder,
2 eggs,
3 oz melted semi-sweet chocolate,
100g semi-dried cranberries – pre soaked if you have time.
A little milk or juice to make the mix soft
Mix everything together in a bowl, pour into a well greased and lined tin. Bake 30-35 mins in loaf tin or 8 inch cake tin or 20-25 mins in two 8-inch sandwich tins, and sandwich together with cream &/ thick cooked cranberries sauce.
Not tried this one yet
1. Fruit cake Recipe:
150g self-raising flour,
100g finely chopped nuts/raisins, 200mls oil,
half teaspoon of baking powder, 2 teaspoons cinnamon,
3 eggs, 2 grated apples,
Bake in loaf tin or 9” x 9” cake tin
Double chocolate Cake: 3⁄4 cup butter at room temp,1 cup white sugar, 1 cup brown sugar, 4 eggs, 1⁄2 cup unsweetened cocoa, 11⁄2 cup self raising flour, 1⁄2 tsp salt, 1 tbsp vanilla extract, 3⁄4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1⁄2 cup chopped nuts. Bake in 9 inch square pan.
Mix everything together and pour into a very well greased cake tin. Bake for 40 mins to one hour, depending on your tin. Cool in tin for 10 mins then turn out.
Ginger Cake :150g self-raising flour,11⁄2 tsp ground ginger, 1⁄2 tsp cinnamon, 1⁄2 tsp bicarbonate soda, pinch of salt, 125g golden syrup, 60g finely chopped stem ginger, 1 tbsp ginger syrup from stem ginger jar, 2 heaped tbsp sultanas, 75g dark muscavado suger, 2 eggs, 150 ml milk, 75 ml butter at room temp/softened in microwave
Mix everything together and pour into a very well greased cake tin. Bake for 40 mins to one hour, depending on your tin. Cool in tin for 10 mins then turn out.
