Amish Friendship Bread Muffins

Have you ever had Amish Friendship Bread? It usually comes to you with a bag of "starter" that you have to faithfully take care of for 10 days and then you can bake with it (and give the rest of the starter to 3 of your friends). Well, my amazing husband works with a guy that loves this bread. It's his favorite thing of all the wonderful baked goods I have brought to the station. So, a few months ago I made my own starter and then kept it going just enough so that I could bake with it every couple of weeks. (Not enough that I had to give any away.) I bake the bread in muffin tins so that it's easier for the guys at the station to eat. We all love it!
   There's nothing like Amish Friendship Bread. A soft, almost chewy bread, that is moist inside and slightly crunchy outside from the cinnamon sugar coating. I've tried other copycats that you can find on the web. (Like this one that requires no starter.) But it's just not the same without the texture and flavor of the starter.
   Well, I haven't baked anything in a few weeks (because the weather has been so unbearably hot) but this morning I woke up to an overcast, drizzly day and I had the urge (no need) to bake!! I still had the starter in the fridge, so I made 2 loaves and used up the last of my starter. (I'll just make more in the fall when I want to bake more often.)
  Sorry there are no step-by-step instructions but the directions are easy to follow. If you have any questions, please comment and let me know!! :)

I usually make the plain vanilla/cinnamon sugar flavor. It's my favorite.

These are the last ones I made for the guys at the station a few weeks ago.

I also made a chocolate version (by adding less flour, chocolate pudding mix and extra dark cocoa powder - recipe follows).  I've heard that butterscotch pudding with butterscotch chips is also a yummy combination, but I've never tried it myself. Aren't the chocolate ones beautiful? They are definitely the most aesthetically pleasing.

Here are the loaves that I made this morning:

The loaves sink in the middle, where the muffins don't do that. 

Here are the recipes:
adapted from www.armchair.com
allrecipes.com

Starter (This is a cut down version so you don't have to give any away)
 
1 package of yeast (2 1/4 tsp)
1/4 cup warm filtered water (105-115F)
1 cup flour
1 cups milk
1 cups sugar 

In a gallon sized freezer zip-top bag, add the water and yeast. Let sit until foamy. Add the milk, sugar and flour. Zip up the bag, leaving air inside. Mush the ingredients together until combined. You can leave the bag on the counter or put it into the fridge (I usually opt for the fridge). This is the start of your 10 day cycle. On days 2 thru 4 just mush the ingredients. Opening the bag and letting in fresh air before or after each "stirring." On day 5 add 1/4 cup each milk, sugar and flour. Mix again. Days 6 thru 9, mush/stir the ingredients, and let fresh air in. On day 10 add another 1/4 cup each of sugar, flour and milk. Mix well. Now you can bake! (You can use all the starter and make 2 large loaves, or you can use 1/2 the starter and make muffins or one large loaf of bread. Then you will have starter left over to use in another 10 days.)
**I have left the starter unattended in the fridge for 2 weeks (while on vacation) and everything was fine when I came back. So no worries about doing everything to a "T".

Vanilla/Cinnamon Sugar Amish Friendship Bread Muffins

1 1/4 cup starter
1 cup oil (or 1/2 cup oil, 1/2 cup applesauce - this is hubby's fav.)
1/2 cup milk
3 eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla
In a separate bowl combine the following dry ingredients and mix well:
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 - (5.1 oz) box instant vanilla pudding
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup nuts or chips (optional)
cinnamon sugar for dusting pans, and more to sprinkle on top

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Mix well and pour into one large (or two small) well greased and cinnamon sugared bread pans (or 24 muffin/cupcake tins). Sprinkle the tops with more cinnamon sugar. For loaves, bake at 325F degrees for 1 hour, or until a skewer or cake tester comes out clean. For muffins, bake at 350F for 20-25 minutes, or until a skewer, toothpick or cake tester comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes. Use a knife or spatula to loosen the bread/muffins from the pan and cool on cooling racks.



Chocolate Amish Friendship Bread Muffins

1 1/4 cup starter
1 cup oil (or 1/2 cup oil, 1/2 cup applesauce - this is hubby's fav.)
1/2 cup milk
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
In a separate bowl combine the following dry ingredients and mix well:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa Powder
1 cup sugar
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon (optional)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 - (5.1 oz) box instant chocolate pudding
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup nuts or chips (optional)
cinnamon sugar for dusting pans, and more to sprinkle on top

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Mix well and pour into one large (or two small) well greased and cinnamon sugared bread pans (or 24 muffin/cupcake tins). Sprinkle the tops with more cinnamon sugar. For loaves, bake at 325F degrees for 1 hour, or until a skewer or cake tester comes out clean. For muffins, bake at 350F for 20-25 minutes, or until a skewer, toothpick or cake tester comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes. Use a knife or spatula to loosen the bread/muffins from the pan and cool on cooling racks.