Herman. The Cake That Keeps On Giving.

Have you ever met Herman? If you have, chances are that a friend or family member introduced you to each other. And quickly after that, Herman will have moved into your kitchen and demanded to be cared for. As a reward he promised you cake. 

No idea what I am on about? I'm talking about a sweet sourdough cake starter, widely known as Herman, the Friendly Cake. When you get one, you feed it with sugar, milk and flour, it slowly grows and in the end you can bake a cake with some of the batter and share the rest with other people. Much like a tasty chain letter.

I had a little liaison with Herman way back when I was a teen, so I was pleased if not surprised when he recently entered my life again. A few local Herman owners had tried to pimp his offspring via Twitter and I could not resist this calling. I remembered making the most gorgeous fluffy cakes with him. Nor did he disappoint this time around.

So. You count yourself lucky enough to have ended up with a receptacle of lively sourdough which smells slightly of yeast and is throwing friendly bubbles. What next? You will have to commit to this 10-day regime:

DAY 1

You have been presented with Herman. Pour him into a bowl, as he will continue to grow. Cover the bowl with a loose-fitting lid or a dish towel and let Herman rest somewhere warm and quiet. Never put Herman in the fridge as he will up and die if it's too cold.

DAY 2

With a wooden or plastic spoon stir Herman 2 to 3 times during the day.

DAY 3

Stir some more.

DAY 4

Today is feeding time. Stir 200g plain flour, 200g sugar and 200ml milk into the batter. Cover and let stand.

DAY 5

Stir.

DAY 6

Stir.

DAY 7

Stir.

DAY 8

Stir.

DAY 9

Excitement! Your Herman is ready to be shared. Add another 200g plain flour, 200g sugar and 200ml milk to it and mix well. Then portion the batter out into 4 equal amounts. Pass on three of the little Hermans to new homes with these instructions. Or only pass on two and keep one to start all over again. You will use the 4th portion to bake your cake.

DAY 10

It's baking day! To make your Herman cake, preheat the oven to 180ºC and add the following basic ingredients to the sourdough:

150g plain flour

2 eggs

150 g caster sugar

2 tsp baking powder

100 ml oil

Then add:

50g raisins

50g dessicated coconut

2 large carrots, finely grated

2 tbsp cinnamon

Mix all the ingredients well and pour the dough into a regular loaf tin lined with baking paper.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 70 minutes or until the cake is golden brown and springs back when touched. If the cake browns too quickly, cover it with a piece of tin foil. Use a skewer to test if the cake is ready, if it comes out clean after you inserted it in the thickest part of the cake, your Herman is done. 

Let cool slightly in the tin before lifting it onto a wire rack to cool completely. You can serve the cake as is or give it a dusting of sugar or cover it with cream cheese icing.

(ALTERNATIVE RECIPES BELOW)

***

If you do not happen to know a person who is keeping a crazy cake in their kitchen and might pass a wee Herman on to you, you can start off the batter of friendship yourself. I have tried this successfully and I know that other people have successfully baked with my starter mix. 

HERMAN STARTER

Need:

140g plain flour

150g sugar

200ml milk (at room temperature)

1 pkt active dry yeast

Do:

In a big bowl, mix all the ingredients well. Don't worry about any lumps, these will break up as the dough leavens. Cover the bowl with a loose-fitting lid or a dish cloth and let sit in a dry, warm place for 24 hours and then begin the 10-day cycle. With this fresh starter, do not worry if it starts smelling of sour milk, this is what you want to happen and what will start off the live sourdough culture.

***

In any way, whether you get given a Herman or grow it yourself, you will be able to bake some delicious, light cakes with your sourdough once you get it going. The basic ingredients stay the same, and after adding those, you can pretty much throw anything else you fancy into the mix. Different spices, different fruit, different nuts... I have tried a few motley combinations, and some turned out brilliantly, while others just resulted in a so-so cake. But experimenting is part of the fun. 

You can also bake your Herman in a variety of different cake tins. I have used a bundt pan, a loaf tin and a round loose bottom pan and they all made for lovely results. You will have to adjust the timings according to what pan you use. A bundt pan, for example, bakes a lot faster than a loaf tin. Just set your timer for the initial hour and then check back in 10-minute increments if your cake is not done when the timer goes off. 

I think that is all you need to know, now let me share three Herman variations that were absolute winners. You will be able to find more if your search for 'Herman cake' online.

 APPLE, RAISIN & VANILLA HERMAN

Need:

basic ingredients

seeds of 1 vanilla pod

100g raisins

1 large apple, finely grated

2 tbsp blackcurrant jam (can use other)

Do:

Mix these ingredients in with the basics as stated above, and fill the batter into a greased and floured bundt pan. 

Bake in the preheated oven for an hour or until the cake is golden brown and springs back when touched. 

Let cool completely in the pan and then turn onto a plate. Dust with icing sugar before serving.

CHOCOLATE BANANA HERMAN

Need:

basic ingredients

2 bananas, mashed

100g chocolate chips

2 tbsp cinnamon

Do:

Mix these ingredients in with the basics as stated above, and fill the batter into loaf tin lined with baking paper. 

Bake in the preheated oven for 70 minutes or until the cake is golden brown and springs back when touched. 

Let cool slightly in the tin before lifting it out and icing it with a mix of dark chocolate, cream and butter. Decorate with chocolate sprinkles if so desired. 

TROPICAL HERMAN

Need:

basic ingredients

100g dessicated coconut

1 small can (227g) pineapple pieces, drained

zest of 2 clementines and juice of one

zest of 1 lemon

zest of one lime

1/2 tsp ground ginger

Do:

Mix these ingredients in with the basics as stated above, and fill the batter into an 8"/20cm round cake tin lined with baking paper.

Bake in the preheated oven for 70 minutes or until the cake is golden brown and springs back when touched. 

Let cool slightly in the tin before lifting the cake out. Let cool completely on a wire rack and decorate with a mix of the zest and juice of one lemon and enough icing sugar to make a thick icing. Let the icing dry before serving.

© Text & Photos - Annika - All The Live Long Day (unless otherwise stated).