Herman the friendship cake comes to stay

When I was about 12, my Mum was given a pot of cake mixture with some instructions. We spent the next week or so looking after this mixture, and at the end we made an amazing apple cake, the loveliest I have ever tasted, and passed on three portions to other friends. It was great fun, and because the cake was so lovely, every few years I remember this cake, and wonder if I will ever find the recipe again.

A few weeks ago, I was thinking about this cake again. Then, the next week, someone in work mentioned she'd just been given some "Herman" mixture. We all asked her what this was, and she explained it was a friendship cake, and she had to tend to this mixture she'd been given over the next 10 days.

I couldn't believe it! This was the very cake I'd been looking for! I had no idea he was called Herman, or that he was doing the rounds once more, but a quick search on the internet revealed threads on the Netmums website (this is the one I read), and an article on the ever useful (with a pinch of salt!) wikipedia.

And by the time I got my portion of mixture (after another colleague was given some of the first lot), it seemed the whole country was talking about it. A facebook friend had a portion in Leeds, and one of my cheerleading team in Stockport had had some too. I asked another friend if he'd like some when I got my batch, and since then he's already been given a batch (although his Herman has gone to the great bakery in the sky sadly). Sara Cox mentioned Herman on her Radio One show on Sunday 29 April, and it turns out he's even been discussed on Women's Hour on BBC Radio 4 (the programme is still available as I write, on the BBC website) 

Herman as he arrives!

It's fairly simple to look after - leave out on the kitchen counter for 10 days in a large, non metal bowl, stir it once a day, and feed on day 4 and 9 (1 cup sugar, 1 cup flour, 1 cup milk), and that is that. Some internet posts and hearsay will have you believe it stinks, but actually if you keep a tea towel over the bowl any smell doesn't bother you, and in any case, it's no stronger than if you were proving bread.

I cooked my Herman on Saturday, and have now found three friends to deliver mixture to (one being one of the ladies at work who've already had some and want another go, another a friend at work, and a friend of my housemate). To the base mixture I added the ingredients listed in the instructions, and baked.

Herman in the bowl with all ingredients added. Then mix!

Once you've mixed all the ingredients in you just put it in a tin, and pour over 1/4 cup of melted butter and 1/4 cup of brown sugar. I used demerara sugar because it gives a nice crunch. There is no instruction (at least on my instructions) as to how big a tin you should use, so I used my standard 20cm square tin.

Top - Herman mix in tin...

Bottom - ...with melted butter and sugar sprinkled on top.

The baking took a lot longer than the instructions said. Initially I baked it for the time stated (45 mins at Gas mark 4), but even after another 15 minutes it still looked quite pale. Once I left it to cool the middle was very definitely still not cooked, so I put it back in the oven for another 30 minutes. 

Top - after 45 minutes looking a bit pale

Bottom - after another 30 minutes, looking super tasty.

The final result is a gorgeous, sweet, tasty apple cinnamon cake. I absolutely love it, and could not recommend giving Herman a temporary home highly enough. Simple, unusual, and very, VERY tasty.

Some people say he's a bit of a faff, and it's not worth the effort but I cannot disagree more. If he comes knocking, make Herman welcome...