Friendship Cake with Brandied Starter

Friendship cake is one of those pass-it-along traditions where someone shares a jar of brandied fruit starter and you keep it going by feeding it more fruit and brandy, then baking a cake with a portion. This version uses the starter as the flavor and moisture base, blending it into a cake mix and instant pudding batter for a tube cake that’s dense, rich, and boozy.

The instant pudding mix (dry, straight from the box) adds moisture and a silky texture to the crumb that cake mix alone can’t deliver. Four eggs and ⅓ cup of oil make this a sturdy batter that bakes up golden and stays fresh for days thanks to all that fruit-soaked alcohol.

The beauty of this recipe is how customizable it is. Yellow cake with vanilla pudding is the classic route, but lemon cake with lemon pudding or orange cake with vanilla pudding work just as well. Chopped nuts go into every version, or swap them for coconut if you prefer.

Chef Tips

• Use about 1 cup of the brandied fruit, drained of excess liquid. Too much liquid and the batter won’t set properly in the center.
• Grease and flour the tube pan well. The heavy, fruit-laden batter clings to every surface.
• Turn the cake out while it’s still hot as directed. Letting it cool in the pan creates condensation that makes it soggy and difficult to release.
• This cake freezes beautifully. Wrap tightly in plastic once cooled and freeze for up to 3 months.

Variations

• Try butterscotch pudding mix with yellow cake mix for a caramel-forward flavor.
• Use pecans for a Southern twist or macadamia nuts for something tropical.
• Drizzle with a simple brandy glaze (powdered sugar + brandy) after cooling for extra sweetness.