to think that those "friendship" cake things are disgusting?

[Helenagrace]

There's a craze in these parts for "friendship" cakes. For those blessed enough to be ignorant of this craze basically someone hands you a horrible, yeasty, festering culture which you grow in your kitchen for 10 days and then make into a cake. Before you make the cake you remove some of the culture and hand it on to other people.

Am I the only one who thinks this is just disgusting and finds the thought of eating something that has been growing in my kitchen for 10 days simply dreadful?

I seem to be offending loads of people by turning down their offers of cultures - the last one actually told me that this mixture was called Herman as it was alive (she is clearly insane).

I'm not BU am I???

[Florieinaweddingdress]

I'm sure the cake that lives will be lovely.

[PercyFilth]

I made some Hermans back in the autumn. I did one with coffee, banana and pecan, and another with pineapple and rum, ohhhh they were lush. Very very light but moist (I made lots of holes and drizzled coffee - or rum and pineapple juice- over the top).

Have been trying to stay off carbs over the winter, but I've kept a couple of starter portions in the freezer and WILL be doing this again.

[JazzAnnNonMouse]

Its Herman the German friendship cake and you have it with apple!!
Yum and could keep you in cake forever

[nooka]

We had friendship cake going for several years when I was a child, and ginger beer and my mother made yogurt too. Plenty of life in our house I'm very happy this thread has popped up because I'd like to get one going as it made a yummy tray bake type cake once a week and now my children are almost teens they could very easily polish one off of a weekend.

Whoever asked about freezing the cake, my memory is that they freeze very well.

[IdontknowwhyIcare]

In the recent episode of the Fabulous Baker Brothers he made sourdough bread and used a yeast culture that had been in his fmaily bakers for 55 years. he went to say it was fed by his father and his grandfather. Honestely whilst I love alcohol fresh bread and blue cheese I'm not really sure I want to get a Herman.

[IdontknowwhyIcare]

Sparklingbrook, that link is from 1993!!!! I wonder if the originator has upped in size and now cant wear any of her 49 pairs ;-)

[hazeyjane]

I killed our herman, I was gutted. I started to get quite attached to him, which may have made turning him into a cake and eating him difficult!

[winterland]

I have one sitting on my work top right now! Not phased by it personally. Cooking will get rid of any bugs!

[Sparklingbrook]

Yes, it was the only link I could find Idon't and I couldn't explain it from what my friend told me. She just said she had to send someone she didn't know some pants.

[shonarose]

yes, OP, you are being completely unreasonable, uninformed and ungrateful! If you've ever eaten bread, cheese, yogurt, or alcohol, then you've had products produced with live yeast/bacteria. And if you're being snooty about the the cleanliness of other people's kitchens, does that mean that you never accept homemade food of any kind? The hygiene in industrial food processing plants is far, far worse ....

[shonarose]

Oh, and I tasted some herman cake recently, at someone's house, and it was utterly delicious, so am thinking of starting one myself!

[IwishIwasmoreorganised]

We had one recently.

I followed the instructions precisely, and baked it with apple and nutmeg - it was delicious!

Nothing grim about it as it spent 50 minutes in the oven. If I was being asked to eat it raw that would be a different matter!

[SarahStratton]

I really, really, really want a Herman and a Ginger Beer plant. Really badly. If some kind soul lives near me (Lincs), and has one they can spare, I will love them for ever.

[harrietlichman]

YANBU - it makes a fabulous cake - I had one a few months ago and gave it all away and then forgot to ask for a portion back..wish I had kept some and kept it going. Warm out of the oven it is to die for.

[AliceInSandwichLand]

As chance would have it, my DD was given a Herman starter yesterday. If anyone in the Guildford/Woking area wants a bit in a few days time, just let me know. I promise not to spit in it meanwhile, and to keep it covered as in the instructions ; )

[SarahStratton]

It's one of the few cakes that works really well with DDs bloody wheat free flour. :(

I neeeeeeeeeeeed one.

[AbsofAwesomeness]

My Mom had one of these cakes c. 1989 in south africa

[ItsAPublicForumWhine]

You can get the recipe to start your own herman online!

gritsandmagnolias.com/sourdoughstarters.htm

[Bunbaker]

I made one last week and it was delicious. If you feel uncomfortable about the idea of using a starter from someone else you can make your own, and you can make the cake straight away without undergoing the 10 day fermentation process.

We couldn't eat all the cake so I have put the rest of it in the freezer.

And in answer to the OP - YABVU!

[BettySwollocksandaCrustyRack]

God, I made one of these a few weeks ago.....I have to say the cake was bloody lovely and well worth the hassle!

[Salt14]

YANBU in my opinion. I totally agree with you & have managed to avoid politely decline two Herman's this year. The bit that grosses me out the most is that the mixture goes from house to house. Who know's what extra's have been added? Cat fur anyone?

[Mayisout]

I made Herman over Xmas and it was delicious, like an old fashioned bread pudding but nicer. The recipe would feed 10!

[Huskydoo]

Interesting reading while I'm lying in bed nursing food poisoning from eating some of this 'friendship' cake. It's too late for me but save yourselves! Avoid at all costs - it doesn't even taste that good!