When a colleague brought in a deliciously moist fruit cake, of course I asked for the recipe. She said that it was a sour dough cake that she had been asked to care for by her sister - the cake's name was Herman. I realised that this was a modern take on a cake that my mum used to bake in the 1980's called friendship cake.
You need a portion of the "starter" for this cake - which my colleague brought me.
This sits in your kitchen bubbling away for 10 days, in which time you stir it, and feed it, and eventually bake it - but save some of the mixture to pass on to your friends.
I am carefully following the instructions and will show you the results in 10 days time.
Omg Diane!!
ReplyDeleteWe had herman in the 80's I wonder if he's the same one??
Delicious though!!!
hello herman!
ReplyDeleteWe have that here in the US and call it friendship bread. It's divine. We don't name it though, but that's a very interesting idea!
ReplyDeleteWe also had Herman in the 1980s! I'm delighted he is still going strong.
ReplyDeleteI remember those cakes, fun to think they are still around.
ReplyDelete10 days.......I want cake now!!!
ReplyDeleteIf he is the Herman of the eighties he is a fine specimen by now! We tasted then and he was 'gooood', hope you enjoy him too.
ReplyDeleteMy mum made one of those cake too many moons ago!
ReplyDeletexxx
No, I've never heard of Herman but so interested to hear about him!!
ReplyDeleteI had this recipe given by my neighbour recently with some starter mix, at first I wondered how on earth I was going to find room for this little experiment, let alone time, but during the 10 days I became fond of feeding my cake, Herman cakes are friendship cakes so you have to pass a little of your finished mix on to someone else! I blogged about it and ate it all up and funnily enough was just saying today I wouldn't mind another so might start all over! Hope yours goes well. Bettyx
ReplyDeleteWell fancy that ..... I've been looking after a Herman cake this week in school. It's like having a class pet. The children have been taking turns to stir him or feed him! It's a bit smelly though!!!!
ReplyDeletexxx
I've never heard of Herman Cake but had heard of a sour dough starter for bread. I hope you enjoy looking after him and I look forward to seeing a lovely cake in 10 days or so:)
ReplyDeleteps - word verification was ovens - quite apt for the subject of your post:)xx
Hi hope Herman proves to be delicious!
ReplyDeleteLisa x
Sounds so intriguing. Looking forward to seeing Herman when he's a little more substantial!
ReplyDeletex
That sounds like fun but also hilarious for us here in the sub tropics. If we left Herman in the kitchen for ten days he would grow all sorts of coloured fur and mould and probably start walking out the door bubbling with excitement at escaping the oven.
ReplyDeleteHad to smile at your comment at mine about the Archers. A couple recently got married & had their reception in a marquee on the village green. The lady is a Radio 4 presenter. Some of the cast from the Archers suprised her with a little sketch all based on our village !
ReplyDeleteI do remember that phase in the 80's and it was indeed called a friendship cake. I never made one but I knew someone who did - an aquaintance though rather than a friend so I never got to try any!
ReplyDeletei had never heard if this then only the oher day a collegue at work was talking about a friendship cake she was looking after!
ReplyDeletesmall world!
xxx