Thirty-Day Friendship Cake

4.6
(73)
65 Reviews
8 Photos

This friendship cake recipe uses a starter to make 2 delicious fruitcakes. It takes 30 days to prepare, but it's worth it. If you are lucky, a friend will give you 2 cups of starter (and a piece of cake), so you won't have to make one. Begin with step 1 if you have the starter. If you don't have the starter, follow the link below to Friendship Fruit Starter. It will take 50 days total if you need to make the starter.

Submitted by Yvonne
Updated on November 16, 2024
8
8
8
8
Prep Time:
1 hr
Cook Time:
55 mins
Additional Time:
30 days
Total Time:
30 days 1 hr 55 mins
Servings:
48
Yield:
2 9x13-inch cakes
Jump to Nutrition Facts
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

Original recipe (1X) yields 48 servings

  • 2 cups Friendship Fruit Starter

  • 1 (15 ounce) can sliced peaches with juice

  • 5 ½ cups white sugar, divided

  • 1 (15 ounce) can pineapple chunks with juice

  • 2 (10 ounce) jars maraschino cherries, drained

  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour for dusting

  • 2 (15.25 ounce) packages yellow cake mix

  • 8 large eggs

  • 1 ⅓ cups vegetable oil

  • 2 (3.4 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix

  • 2 cups golden raisins

  • 2 cups chopped walnuts

  • 2 cups flaked coconut

Directions

  1. Day One: Place starter into a large glass jar or bowl. Strain peach juice over starter. Cut each peach slice into 4 pieces and add to starter-juice mixture. Stir in 2 1/2 cups sugar until combined. Cover the jar loosely with a clean dish towel. Let sit at room temperature for 10 days, stirring once each day. A pan of water underneath the jar will keep ants out.

  2. Day Ten: Strain pineapple juice over starter mixture. Cut each pineapple in half and add to starter mixture. Stir in 1/2 cup sugar until combined. Let sit, loosely covered, at room temperature for 10 days, stirring once each day. The color should change and mixture should foam when stirred.

  3. Day Twenty: Slice each maraschino cherry in half and add to starter mixture. Stir in remaining 2 1/2 cups sugar until combined. Let sit, loosely covered, at room temperature for the final 10 days, stirring once each day. The color will turn slightly pink from the cherries.

  4. Day Thirty: Drain liquid from fruit and pour into 3 glass or ceramic pint jars — one for you to make your next cake and two for friends. Set aside fruit.

  5. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9x13-inch baking dishes.

  6. Beat together 1 box cake mix, 4 eggs, 2/3 cup oil, and 1 package instant pudding in a large bowl until well combined. Mix in 1/2 of the reserved fruit. Stir in 1 cup raisins, 1 cup nuts, and 1 cup coconut until incorporated; batter will be stiff. Pour into the prepared baking dish. Repeat this step for second cake.

  7. Bake cakes in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, 55 to 65 minutes.

Recipe Tips

Friendship cake must be started within 3 days of receiving the starter.

You can freeze the starter to use at a later date.

Do not store the starter in a plastic or metal container.

It is best to make the 2 cake batters separately.

Editor's Note:

Get the recipe for Friendship Fruit Starter.

135 home cooks made it!

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

346 Calories
14g Fat
56g Carbs
3g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 48
Calories 346
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 14g 17%
Saturated Fat 3g 14%
Cholesterol 31mg 10%
Sodium 220mg 10%
Total Carbohydrate 56g 20%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Total Sugars 39g
Protein 3g 6%
Vitamin C 1mg 2%
Calcium 45mg 3%
Iron 1mg 4%
Potassium 121mg 3%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.