This cake is a kind of edible chain letter and a fun way to involve the kids with baking too. You share with friends some sour cake mixture, called Herman, given with a letter containing some instructions on how to care for it and bake it.
Once my daughter was offered the mixture I was eager to know a bit more about our new guest. I found that some believe that it has German or Amish origins, dating back a few centuries. They would have given out a sour dough bread to be shared and passed around amongst the poor and sick. Nowadays the Herman cake is shared as a mark of friendship.
You must nurture Herman for 10 days before baking and sharing. The mixture that is given to you replaces baking yeast. After getting the starter dough mix you have to follow the instructions (see below) to keep Herman bubbling and growing by stirring and feeding it now and then when it is hungry.When it is time, you separate the mixture into four portions; one you keep for you to bake and three to share with a copy of the instructions, the cycle going on with each new share. The final baked cake is rather tasty too, which makes the wait worth it, a nice treat for baby too.
Herman, The Friendship Cake
Making time: 10 days - Baking time: about 45 mins
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 on, but you CAN Put me in a large bowl and cover loosely with a tea towel.
Do NOT put me in the fridge or I will die. If I stop bubbling, I am dead.
Instructions
- Day 1 – Stir well
- Day 2 – Stir well
- Day 3 – Stir well
- Day 4 -Herman is hungry. Add 1 cup each of plain flour, sugar and milk. Stir well
- Day 5 – Stir well
- Day 6 – Stir well
- Day 7 – Stir well
- Day 8 – Stir well
- Day 9 - Add the same as day 4. Stir well. Divide into 4 equal portions and give away to friends with a copy of these instructions. Keep the fourth portion.
- Day 10 -Now you are ready to make the cake. Stir well and add the following:
Ingredients
- 1 cup of sugar
- 1/2 tsp of salt
- 2 cups of plain flour
- 2/3 (two thirds) cup of cooking oil
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp of vanilla essence
- 2 cooking apples cut into small chunks
- 1 cup of raisins
- 2 heaped tsp of cinnamon
- 2 heaped tsp of baking powder
- Mix everything together and into a large greased baking tin. Sprinkle a cup of brown sugar and a quarter of a cup of melted butter.
- Bake for 45 minutes at 170-180C (Gas mark 4).
- Enjoy!
Starting Your Own Herman
Making time: – about 10 mins
Baking time: – about 45 mins
Ingredients
- Put 460g flour
- 500ml milk
- 230g sugar
- 90ml warm water
- 2 tbsp active dry yeast
Instructions
- Sprinkle 1tbsp of sugar over the warm water
- Sprinkle the yeast over this and leave in a warm place for around 10 minutes, as it grows to twice its size.
- Mix in the milk, sugar, flour to the yeast mixture and stir with a wooden spoon
- Cover the bowl loosely with something like a tea towel
- Keep in a warm place and stir.
- When you are ready, follow the 10 day cycle to make your Hermancake.
Enjoy!
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