Friendship Fruitcake Starter

A delightful and delicious fruitcake starter that requires patience and care to nurture over time.

Ingredients

¾	cup canned peach slices in heavy syrup
¾	cup canned pineapple chunks in syrup
4	red maraschino cherries, drained, halved
1 ½	granulated sugar
1	(¼ ounce) package active dry yeast

Instructions

• 1. In a 1-gallon glass jar with a wide mouth and lid, combine the canned peach slices in heavy syrup, canned pineapple chunks in syrup, red maraschino cherries (drained and halved), granulated sugar, and active dry yeast (make sure the yeast is well mixed with syrup).
  2. Stir the mixture two times on the first day.
  3. Stir the mixture once a day thereafter.
  4. Do not refrigerate this mixture.
  5. Keep the mixture loosely covered.
  6. Two weeks after starting the starter, add 1/2 cup peaches and 1/2 cup pineapple with syrup.
  7. Wait for several days, stirring daily, and drain 2 cups of mixed fruit to use in the cake recipe.
  8. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of starter juice and leave it in the glass gallon jar.
  9. Count this as Day One and start the process for renewing the starter and making the cake.
  10. Day 1: To the reserved 1 1/2 cups of starter juice (or juice given to you by a friend), add 2 1/2 cups of sugar and a 2-lb can of peaches with syrup.
  11. Stir the mixture daily.
  12. Keep the mixture loosely covered.
  13. Do not refrigerate the mixture.
  14. Day 10: Add 2 1/2 cups of granulated sugar and a 2-pound can of pineapple chunks with juice.
  15. Stir the mixture daily.
  16. Keep the mixture loosely covered.
  17. Do not refrigerate the mixture.
  18. Day 20: Add 2 1/2 cups of granulated sugar and 8 to 10 oz of drained and halved maraschino cherries.
  19. Stir the mixture daily.
  20. Keep the mixture loosely covered.
  21. Do not refrigerate the mixture.
  22. Day 30: Drain the fruit, reserving 1 1/2 cups of juice for renewing the starter.
  23. Use the drained fruit to make 3 cakes, give excess starter juice to friends, and start a new batch of fruit as per the aforementioned process.
  24. At the end of 30 days, you will have enough excess starter juice to share with about four friends.
  25. Ensure to keep 1 1/2 cups of juice for your own starter.
  26. At the end of 30 days, there will be enough fruit to use 1 3/4 cups of fruit in each cake, enhancing the cake's flavor and ensuring no fruit goes to waste.
  27. The cakes can be frozen for later consumption.
  28. It is not necessary to bake all three cakes on the same day, but ensure to stir the remaining fruit mixture daily until used (the fruit mixture can be refrigerated until used).
  29. The drained fruit can be frozen until you are ready to bake the cakes.

Jul 20, 2024