If it were really Friendship Bread . . .

It seems to go around every year or so. Some love to get it, other dread it. You might have heard it called Friendship Bread or Amish Friendship Bread. But let me tell you right now that a true friend would tell you up front that you need a large box of vanilla instant pudding mix at the end.

I'm probably one of those people who doesn't mind getting the friendship bread chain letter and starter - but it's pretty rough when you're on a low carb diet. So I did what every good friend would do - mixed it all up, divided up the starter, baked muffins instead of a loaf, and divided it all up among four friends. Plus, I bought four boxes of vanilla instant pudding to put with the package.

I'll admit, though, I cheated. I had about a two inch square of the friendship bread - it was really really good.

If you're unfamiliar with Friendship Bread, a friend gives you a plastic bag with about a cup of batter in it. This batter comes from a batch of the bread she made. Your batter comes with a page of instructions that tells you what to do with the batter for a week and a half, like mush the bag, or add flour and sugar. Eventually you add items and then divide some of the mixture up to give to four of your friends. Then you bake the rest into a tasty cinnamon bread with a streusel topping.
Friendship Bread Starter Recipe

Here's the recipe from the sheet that comes with the starter batter:

Day 1: You receive the fermented batter in a 1 gallon ziploc bag. Do Nothing. Just place the bag on the kitchen counter.

Day 1: Do nothing. This is the day you receive your batter. Place it on the kitchen counter.
Day 2: Mush the bag.
Day 3: Mush the bag.
Day 4: Mush the bag.
Day 5: Mush the bag.
Day 6: Add to the bag 1 cup each of flour, sugar and milk. Mush the bag.
Day 7: Mush the bag.
Day 8: Mush the bag.
Day 9: Mush the bag.

Day 10: In a large, non-metal bowl, combine batter with 1 c. each flour, sugar, and milk. Mix with a wooden spoon. Pour four 1-cup starters into individual gallon ziploc bags. Give away starters to friends with this set of directions. It is important to follow this sequence exactly.

To the remaining batter add:

1 c. canola oil
1 c. sugar
1 t. vanilla
3 eggs
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
2 c. flour
1/2 c. milk
1/2 t. baking soda
1 large box of instant vanilla pudding
2 t. cinnamon
In separate bowl, mix 1 t. cinnamon and 3 T. sugar. Sprinkle into well-greased loaf pans and coat the sides with sugar mixture. Do not use Pam or other non-stick spray. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until done.