INGREDIENTS:
ONE CAKE RECIPE (do this for each cake)
• 1 box Duncan Hines Butter golden cake mix
• 1 box vanilla instant pudding mix
• 4 eggs
• 2/3 cups vegetable oil (or applesauce for low fat version)
• 1 ½ cups drained fruit
METHOD:
Day 1: Add one 16 oz. can of sliced peaches and its juice in a glass gallon jar (Cut each peach slice into 4 pieces). Add 2 ½ cups of sugar and stir every day for ten days. Cover jar with saucer and leave sitting out at room temperature (don't cover jar tight or refrigerate). Day 10: Add one 16 oz can of chunk pineapple and its juice to jar. (Cut each chunk in half). Add 2 ½ cups of sugar and stir each day for ten days. Your color has changed and your fruit will foam when stirred.
Day 20: Add two small jars of maraschino cherries. Slice each cherry in half. (Do not add juice of cherries). Add 2 ½ cups of sugar and stir for final ten days. The cherries will give your juice back its pink color.
Day 31: Drain fruit into large bowl. Reserve juice for later. You are ready to bake your cakes. See above details for cake ingredients. Mix all ingredients, including drained fruit, into a large bowl and stir with a spoon. DO NOT USE AN ELECTRIC MIXER. USE ONLY A SPOON! Then add: 1 cup raisins, 1 cup pecans, 1 cup coconut, 1 cup of black or English walnuts (raisins/pecans/coconut/walnuts optional)
Preheat oven at 300 degrees, grease and flour tube or bundt pans (Bakers Joy may be used). You will need 3 pans so that you can bake all three cakes at one time. Bake 55 to 65 minutes.
Save juice into 3 pint jars. These are your new starters (Note: each pint of starter will make 3 cakes --one to keep and two to give to a friend. Cake must be started within 3 days after receiving the new starter.
