German Friendship Cake

Ellie and I followed the recipe we had been given by Rosie, who had been given it by Nancy.

Hello. My name is Herman. I am a sour dough cake. I'm supposed to sit on your worktop for 10 days without a lid. You cannot put me in the fridge or I will die. If I stop bubbling I am dead!

Day 1, You get Herman and put him in a LARGE mixing bowl and cover loosely with a tea towel.
Day 2, stir well.
Day 3, stir well.
Day 4, Herman is hungry. Add 1 cup milk, sugar and plain flour. Stir well.
Day 5, stir well.
Day 6, stir well.
Day 7, stir well.
Day 8, stir well.
Day 9, Herman is hungry. Do as for day 4 and stir well. Divide into 4 portions and give 3 away.

Day 10, Herman is very hungry! Add the following:

1 cup sugar
2 cups plain flour
1 cup raisins
2/3 cup cooking oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 heaped teaspoons cinnamon
2 heaped teaspoons baking powder
2 eggs
2 cooking apples cut into chunks

Mix all together, put in a lined traybake tin.
Melt 1/3 of 250g block of butter, pour over.
Sprinkle with 1/3 cup brown sugar.
Bake for 45 mins at 180 C.
When cold cut into fingers.
Freezes well and good with cream or ice-cream when warm.

We passed Herman on to the Ruddocks and the Greens and kept a quarter to have another go.

One of the nicest cakes ever!