Comments & Suggestions
Please feel free to browse through the comments and suggestions on this page; you might find the answer to your question. If you have specific questions or want to share something, please consider the Herman Forum.
Please feel free to browse through the comments and suggestions on this page; you might find the answer to your question. If you have specific questions or want to share something, please consider the Herman Forum.
My first suggestion is to bake Herman for a little while longer so the middle is not too wet. It only takes an extra 15 – 20 minutes but make sure you cover Herman with tin foil so he doesn’t burn!
I decided to follow a chelsea bun recipe with my herman mix because I thought it would be slightly less fat so less calories ! It worked really well. Today I am going to make iced finger buns with it to see how that works.
Thanks Susan,
That sounds really interesting. Maybe the instructions should include a few alternatives.
Let me know how it all turns out. If you get chance to email me some photos, that’d be great!
Stuart
I love Chelsea buns – great idea! Could you post up the recipe you used with Herman?
Rachel
We also found it a little sweet and it took a lot longer to bake than 45 mins, will try experimenting a bit with the next one and maybe use a larger shallower tin to bake it in. (Niki Moore)
When I did my first cake, I followed the recipe, using ordinary butter which was quite salty, and it made the topping salty too! I would recommend that you don’t put the melted butter on the top, it really doesn’t need it.
I find two teaspoons of baking powder can be a bit over powering, especially if like me you’re too lazy to seive the flour and baking powder! Lumps of flour I can take, but not baking powder! Solution – use self raising flour instead of plain. A query – will the raising agent denature if used in the early feeding stages – is it only worth putting it in in the pre-baking stage? Anyway, I ended up with a very successful batch – a bit more cake textured than the first couple I made, which were much more moist like American style muffins.
I would guess that the raising agent would denature. I remember my grandmother always told me not to add the wet ingredients to the dry until I was all ready to put any cake the oven (so pan greased, oven up to heat) because it wouldn’t rise as well if you left it too long. I would have thought that self-raising flour would be fine to add as a feeder (though might make it a bit salty?) but that you would still need baking powder when you made the cake. But you could compromise, and add plain flour as feeder and then make the cake with self-raising, which is essentially plain flour plus baking powder — only someone else has done your sieving for you.
Penny, thanks for your tip on the butter content. I guess salt free butter could make a difference but it’s good to hear feedback from people who experiment with Herman. Variety is the spice of life… apparently!
Hey Julian, good question about self raising flour. I made the mistake of not seiving the flour first when I did my first Herman. Not sure if it made much difference or not. So did you use self raising to get the better texture or just cut the baking powder?
Hello, I got my Herman from a friend of mine a few days ago. I can’t believe I got one!!!
I am German, in my 40′s and I got loooots of Hermann’s (in Germany) when I was in my teens! As you can see, I added a 2nd N onto the name, this is the difference between the English and German version I believe….
Herman is due to be baked at the weekend! So I will keep you updated!
What happened Julia?
What ingredients did you add?
I was given this recently and was looking forward to cooking it, however a friend has just cooked one and it is VERY sweet, would it work with less sugar ? I am sure it should as sourdough bread is the same principle and is not sweet. Has anyone tried making it by halving the sugar content? I might give it a go and let you know!!
I thought I would give you some feedback on my version of the Hermann with the apple and choc chips.
The taste is actually very good and the blend of cinnamon, apple and chocolate works well. I do however intend to make it again with a slightly amended mix. The centre and base of the cake ended up to ‘wet’ and the whole thing was a little too sweet.
I will probably reduce the amount of apple and choc chips to stop the mix dropping to the base and also maybe reduce the olive oil. Regarding the sweetness I think I will reduce the sugar in the last part of the mix – that should help.
Overall though I was pretty pleased with the result (it has inspired me to get back to baking).
Hi
I ended up with 2 on the go at once so I followed the orginal cooking recipe with one and decided to try something different, so I used apple and raspberry and boy was it good; everybody that tried it liked it.
OMG…..I’ve just baked my first Herman, couldn’t wait for him to go cold so cut myself a slice. I’ve never tasted anything so nice, I feel like eating the whole cake tonight!
Yes, I had to add another 20 minutes to the cooking time, and yes, it is a bit sweet….but who cares, it’s delicious.
Now….just a thought, my daughter has asked me to make her wedding cake for later this year……I wonder…..has anyone tried marzipan and royal icing on Herman???
A friend of mine gave me a mini Herman mix to look after. I was rather dubious, however, I’m sure I did this about 20 years back as well…
Thought he was going to die on me but luckily he didn’t. He sat faithfully on my worktop day by day until it was the day to cook him. I was somewhat sad when I washed up his bowl (that was his bed) as it felt like the end of an era…however, he did make a delicious cake.
I’m so pleased with how he turned out.
I just wanted to say THANK YOU for posting this! As a little girl in the 70′s, I remember my mother had this recipe and it was delicious. I’ve often thought of it and now I can’t wait to try it again.
Thanks again and happy baking!
Angela
I received my first ever Herman last night, today is day 2. Does it have to be baked on day 10? I work 14 hour shifts and happen to be working on day 10!!!!
No, Nikki, you can cook him pretty much anytime as long as you remember to add the feed mixture on the proper days. I have a Herman on the go who has been with me for about a month, has produced two cakes and is still going strong. I always keep a portion of the mixture myself and continue with the feeding so I can make another cake. Just make sure he doesn’t die and he can turn into cake when it suits you.
I accidently put in self raising flour on day 4. Now a day later my starter is v. bubbly! What should I do? Should I just forget it? I hate the thought of sharing something that will not work and mutliplying the misery.
Jordan,
As Julian commented above, he used self-raising flour and left out the baking powder. I think baking powder acts as an agent with normal flour for a bit of lift, instead of a lot of lift as you would get with self raising flour in the baking stage.
Maybe if you have a deeper baking tin use that as your Herman may come up a bit higher than normal.
Be sure to let us know how it went and send a photo if you can for the gallery!
Stuart
Hello
I’ve just made my own starter batch, and I am wondering, should I still go through the whole 10 day souring procedure, or do I just go right ahead and bake with it after the 2-3 days stated?
I was given a starter Herman, and I made him up following the 10 day procedure, but had to give away the cake as I am allergic to dairy. I was told it was absolutely delicious so am keen to bake a dairy free one
I was given a starter a couple of weeks ago and made the full cake with bog-standard soya milk from Asda (Wal-Mart) and it was delicious.I shared out the final mixture but kept one quarter back for myself, strictly for experimental purposes you understand.
I have made the second batch, again with soya milk and it is at day 8 and has had to be put in a bigger bowl as it is growing like wild fire.
Many places I’ve seen on the net have concerns about what is in cow’s milk as opposed to soya milk and would it still work. Well I have to say that the original starter given to me was made with semi-skimmed cow’s milk and it continued to fruition as above.
With this second batch I am going to try some of the various fruit additions to space/bulk out the cake and perhaps just make one small hedonistic cake-only portion.
Email sent to Lucy.
Lucy, how did you get on?
A friend gave me a starter cake a few days ago. Day 9 and 10 (when I should feed, portion and cook the cake) fall when I am away.
Can I keep the cake going by continuing to just stir it (give it to someone who will do it for me!) those days and postpone days 9 and 10 to 11 and 12?
Hi Rita,
Day 9 is supposed to be the feed and divide day then you bake on the 10th day.
To be honest I don’t really think it matters that much if you add a day or two to the process.
My mum baked her Herman half way through around day 4 because she got impatient. The cake turned out just fine.
Just stir him for another day or two but make sure he still has bubbles.
Stuart
I have made a blueberry cake with cream cheese frosting….it’s going fast in our house.
Don’t add any of the apple or dried fruit and nuts but add a 200g box of blueberries.
When cold top with a cream cheese frosting. Simple!
Karen, such a simple idea for a variation of Herman. Thanks for sharing!
was given a herman, and interested to see how it turned out but realised i could only give one away so as it was winter i baked the remainder with some cheap sultanas and fed it to the birds( they loved it) i put cherries in mine and it was yummy,can recomend it
Andrea,
Those lucky birds! A cherry Herman sounds nice though.
I’ve made a couple of Hermans so far and have adapted the recipe by omitting the sugar and butter topping and adding prunes, chopped dates and sultanas. It’s eaten so fast in this household I can’t bake enough!! I’m really glad I’ve found your starter recipe and short cut!
I have just made the starter mix and it seems a lot. Do I now begin at day 1 or do I divide into 4 (as in day 9) then start at day 1? Thanks x
How much is a portion of Herman? The starter portion I was given was a lot smaller than the 4 portions I have ended up with. What happens if I add too much Herman to the cake mix?
When I divided mine, on both occasions, I ended up with four 250g portions.
Olivia and Alex,
Thanks for your comments and letting me know about the starter. I think in the original starter recipe it said to give some away then use a portion of it for your own 10 days Herman. It did seem a lot of mixture though!
I have replaced the starter recipe with a slightly different one that has more realistic measures.
Stuart
Hi, my Mum was given Herman mixture around a month ago and she followed the recipe
perfectly and shared with me. I also followed it perfectly we have both made 2 cakes
each and both have been really sunken in the middle. I’m just wondering if anyone has
any advice please, niether of us are bakers but we did follow the recipe thanks.
If your Herman cake sinks, try looking here for the reason – http://www.dianasdesserts.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/bakingtips.cakesandtortes/CakesandTortes.cfm
Its about 2/3 of the way down…
Lots of suggestions for flavours
Pear, plum and nutmeg – a pear, peeling and sliced very thinly, grated nutmed to taste, and a couple of plums chopped up. Fruity rice pudding flavour!
Apple and blackberry flavour – a punnet of blackberries and a couple of apple peeled and chopped, with cinnamon to taste
Lemon drizzle – grated rind of a couple of lemons, and dissolve sugar in some of the juice to make a syrup to soak into it once cooked, and the rest of the juice to flavour icing to drizzle over the top
White chocolate and banana – one very mashed ripe banana, and about 40g finely chopped white chocolate
Chocolate and raspberry – for this latest one I substituted some of the flour for ground almonds, added a few tablespoons of cocoa powder, and pressed fresh raspberries into the batter once it was in the tin ready to cook. The ground almonds let the cake stay moist and chewy and the raspberries almost disappear leaving yummy moist raspberry flavoured blobs! Also work really well as muffins, pressing a raspberry into each one.
Best way I’ve found to stop the cake burning on top while leaving it in the oven long enough to cook through is a piece of greaseproof paper. I don’t put melted butter on the top of the cakes either.
And I use melted butter instead of oil – I really don’t like the taste oil gives cakes!
I’ve started turning some of my Herman batter savoury! Added rye flour and wholegrain flour instead of plain flour and sugar
Can’t wait to make some cheesy sourdough bread 
Hello – I got a herman cake from my neighbour, poured it out into a bowl then promptly went on holiday for 2 weeks and forgot all about it. It looked pretty much the same when I came back yesterday – is there any hope or should I just bury it in the garden and mourn its loss?
I’ve made a starter mix for this and am currently on Day 2, although I’m already worried it’s gone wrong. It doesn’t seem to be bubbling. Should the bubbling start immediately or can it take a couple of days to start?
I really want to get this right as my Mum has made this before and tells me it’s lovely, I also know several people who would love to receive a Herman.
Any hints or suggestions would be much appreciated.
Thank you for adding the recipe for Herman! I knew it as “Amish Friendship Bread”, a friend gave me a starter, as she did for several other friends, we arranged a date to meet and share our results. The results were incredible, resutling from savoury breads, sweet breads and my own which ended up as a spice cake. It’s been many years, but I’ve been hoping to evenutally find the starter recipe, I’m glad to have it again.
We have just eaten our first herman and it was amazing! Does anyone know if you can freeze a portion of the mix (instead of giving away) and use it at a later date. If so would you then defrost and just cook OR start the 10 day cycle?
I just tested this… freezing herman – your herman starter can be frozen
I found some good recipes at www.amishstarter.com
Thanks for the link!
my daughter came to devon all the way from northampton and brought her herman with her after staying over night in an hotel and leaving herman in the car she thought it had died but we kept it warm in my kitchen after she arrived and it had lots of lovely in a few hrs . she has now gone home and left me my bit of herman it did very well. i dont like fruit such as raisins etc so i put apple and rasperies it turned out lovely . my friends said it was a cake with a difference , it turned out a bit on the pink side but it looked very nice . sorry av not got picture got eaten before i had the chance , it was gorgeous hot !!!!
I’ve found it was often a bit lumpy when I “fed” it but the lumps seem to disappear after a day or two’s fermentation. I think the yeasts basically “digest” the lumps! I would have thought it’d be OK to whisk it though.
How do I get rid of floury lumps after I have added my flour, sugar and milk? There are just so many and no amount of stirring will get rid of them. It is ok to whisk the mix?
I’ve found it was often a bit lumpy when I “fed” it but the lumps seem to disappear after a day or two’s fermentation. I think the yeasts basically “digest” the lumps! I would have thought it’d be OK to whisk it though.
Yes even better if you use an electric mixer and give it a good long beating. You will see a lot of little bubbles. A drop or tow of milk migh help as well.
just made my first Herman ,I can see me putting weight on very tasty indeed…
Just got this last night, not sure if it’s already dead as there are no bubbles really, so do I continue and nurse it back to life or just not waste my time on it?
Thinking about going for it anyway, but don’t want to do the raisins and apples in it (don’t like them in cakes and i’m not putting all the effort in to not get to try it!) Can anyone comment on the possible use of banana and choc chips in place of them? I expect it will be fairly sweet so would cut down on the sugar, is this recommended?
If this isn’t a good idea, any others, that doesn’t involve dried fruit?
On day 10 when you add all the ingredients before cooking we do not add sugar as it is sweet enough anyway and it tastes absolutely fine. Am going to be trying to make a chocolate one today.
Thanks Shelly. I’m on day 6 and was very shocked at the amount of sugar I had to put in on day 4 and will again on day 9 so i’m glad if missing it out on day 10 works. Will substitute with a cup of choc chips but can’t decide if chopped banana would be better or shoud I mash banana just for the flavour? Might end up keeping all 4 batches just to play about with different flavours, lol!
I kept 2 of the ‘to give away’ hermans and froze them. The defrost really fast and begin to bubble again. Then I made into cakes (day 10). I did one with bananas (4) and much less sugar. Was lovely!
Yummy! Herman was baked last night with banana and choc chips instead of apple & raisins and it is delicious! Only thing is an bit of an aftertaste of cooking oil, so i’m wondering if it needs ot have so much, and perhaps replace it with melted butter or just milk? And the other thing was that when I added the ingredients as per the instructions it was a very heavy thick dough and not a cake mix. I added about a tablespoon of milk to thin it out and that worked perfectly. Also added the 25 mins to the cooking with foil over the top and that finished it off perfectly.
I have 1 more batch that I kept so will have a go at cooking it today and make the few changes that I think it needs with the oil.
Oh and I missed out the sugar completely in the final stage before cooking – it’s perfect, really doesn’t need it
what size tin have people been using?
7 1/2 inches diameter by 3 1/4 height
has anyone got a double choc recipe?
Hi Joe,
There is a double chocolate recipe on the recipe ideas page (see the menu bar above). As for the tin, use anything you want; loaf tin, square, round, usually something around 8″ is a good width.
Stuart
Thank you Stuart…..I’ve looked on that page before so WHY I didn’t see it I don’t know…..but thank you….I know what I’m doing tomorrow
Don’t forget to use the forum to ask question or leave comments and ideas. It’s only just starting but there are hundreds of people looking at it each day. Go on, talk to each other!
)
Got Herman from a friend at work. So easy to look after and my children loved it. Onced cooked, OMG… what a gorgeous cake. All the family loved it; my husband couldn’t stop eating it, so no chance of freezing it. Waiting for Herman 2 from one of the neighbours.
I just heard about this on Woman’s Hour via a podcast, I plan to contaminate the locals over here in California……..they’re a pretty friendly crowd already. Cheers
I generally don’t cook; think it’s a waste of time and have never made a cake in my life. I’m 83 by the way. We were given a Herman by our son at Xmas. I thought, well I could do this; so I did and have since made 6 or 7 with different fruits added etc. All have been delicious. We’ve stopped for a while as we were gaining too much weight!
I use melted unsalted butter instead of olive oil
Just made my first ever Herman!! Very delicious, but quite dry and crumbly, is it supposed to be like that, or more moist? Did I do something wrong?
I’m going to have a go at making a cherry and almond Herman next. I’ll let you know how it turns out.
You seem to have what everyone else wants i.e. a Herman that’s not wet in the middle, what recipe did you use please
I tried replacing the apple and raisin with the peel of two lemons, the juice of one and a large bar of white chocolate cut into chunks. Yummy!! Really recommend it
– found it better to leave off the melted butter and sugar, but once cooked mix some sugar in butter and just brush it over the top.
I made Black Forest Herman! Half a bag of frozen black forest fruit mix from Sainsbury’s instead of the apple, and choc chunks instead of the raisins. I also omitted the spices and added 1oz cocoa powder instead of one of the oz of flour. Serve with cream!
I also microwaved it for a few mins before putting it in the oven, which helps it to be cooked in the middle before burning round the edge. Obviously you need a non-metal baking container. Mine is silicone.
What a good idea Penny, how long/what wattage did you microwave for?
just made my second Herman this time using cherries and white choc chips! Yum! Used sunflower oil so no prob with olive oil taste!! Only cooked it for 45mins, think I’ll take advice and cook next modem longer. Can anyone tell me why it sank tho?
Hi, I had a Herman last month and thought i was going to be too sweet so substituted a cup of sugar for a ripe banana and boy it was good. So next time i might try reducing the sugar again and add 2 bananas.
I was so surprised at how moist the cake stayed, whilst being kept in a tin. It kept for a week and my husband ate it every morning with his coffee. I’ve started fermenting one from scratch and cant wait to bake it again.
One thing though, i baked it in 2 shallow tins and my friend baked her in 1 big round cake tin and she thought i was too dense.
….long live The Herman!!
What volume of mix is there supposed to be in the cake recipe? Everything else is fairly exact (1 cup etc) and I’m not sure what measure of mix should be in there
And why is the number of days so important, and the ban on putting it in the fridge? Surely it’s just the same as sourdough, for which neither really matters…
Sally
I am worried
It’s been a very busy week so i have not been able to follow the instructions given and care for Hermann to a “T”
It is now Day 5 and I have not fed him as yet but have been continuously stirring?
Will these 2 extra days make a difference to the outcome?
Should I start a fresh batch ?
Hi Lanesie,
Did you get a reply to your question above? Its just that I have done the same and not added the “food” til day 5 so wondered if I should delay feeding it and cooking it in the later stages?
Thanks
Becky
We have blogged about our Herman experience!
http://foodiefrolics.wordpress.com/2012/04/24/herman-the-german-friendship-cake/
If these batches keep being passed on and being added to, isnt there any risk of any kind on contamination as milk has been added. Sorry to ask this but never tried it before .
No, not unless you’ve licked it or sneezed or anything. There’s no reason why it would be contaminated, the only microbes that could live in it would be yeast (which is the fungus you’re making it with) and lactobacillus (which is a bacteria used for making yoghurt and cheese) which are both essential for Herman and good for you. These things make milk go off, but you can’t make cheese or beer without them, so no worries. Just keep a clean tea-towel over it.
when does herman start bubbling or have a killed him already? ive made the starter mix
Katie,
Have you received a starter or did you make your own? I would suggest the starter mix should get going after a day or so, once the ingredients start to react with each other. If you have no bubbling after a few days, maybe you should start again.
Stuart
I have a herman which is on Day 5. It is a friend’s birthday on Sunday and I wanted to take her a herman as a gift. However he technically wont be ready to be split by then. Is that a problem? Can I do it and amend the instructions or will it not really matter?
Els,
Email sent.
Please can someone tell me how many grammes of yeast in this recipe? In NZ we don’t have packets but tubs.
Thanks!
I use 2 teaspoons and is fine
I had a Herman given to me for the first time, followed the instructions, baked it for 45 mins then covered with foil and baked for a further 20 mins, it’s turned out perfect, and we are all enjoying to so much, can’t wait to start another.
Hi I made my own the 1st attempt wasn’t bubbling after 2days so I binned it lol I’ve started again and am now on day 4 he’s bubbling away nicely
im so excited!!! Cant wait 2 share him 
So when it says ‘divide into 4 equal pieces keeping 1 for yourself’ i forgot to do that so on day 10 are all those ingredients for 1/4 of it? so do i have to triple them?
Yes, the final list of ingredients are for just one portion of four. Either increase the quantities for one heck of a big cake, or just divide into four, maybe freeze one for another time or bin them.
Come back and let us know how it turns out.
Stuart
How many calories are there in Herman Cake?
When I was given my Herman, it exploded in my bag and I lost some of the quantity. I managed to revive him with yeast and heat, but I’m not sure if the quantities to add should still be the same. Any suggestions?
I was given a Herman, made the cake, gave some away and have been experimenting. I wanted something less sweet. I tried ordinary rolls, adding no additional sugar but these were too sweet (husband likes them) for me. Today I made a wholemeal Bara Brith from a bread cookery book. All I did was assume that the Herman portion would take the place of the yeast and was careful not to add all the liquid at once (I didn’t use it all). It didn’t rise a lot, but enough. And is excellent.
Forgot to put the butter on the top and used golden caster sugar to feed him, accidentally put in two tblsp of vanilla instead of tsps, other than that normal recipe and tastes very good!! Don’t think there’ll be much left shortly!
Photo added to the gallery, Rachel – thanks!
I’ve just baked my first Herman and its L-U-S-H!!! I have decided only to give 2 away and keep another going so I can freeze a 2nd cake (that is if he survives till he is cool). My question is “can I freeze the mixture pre-baking?” Thanks Herman devotees
Yes you can… freezing your Herman starter
Hey, I’ve written a blog about my adventures with a Herman, would love it if you would have a read! http://dizzykitchenbakes.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/herman-german-friendship-cake.html?m=1
This site mentions that Herman can be frozen… is this only once it has been cooked, or during its stirring/feeding stage?
You can freeze the cake and you can freeze the starter too. Read this.
Going to try a gluten free starter today, thinking it may fail but feeling soooo left out !
Definitely come back and let us know how that goes. I’d love to put something up on the website with your help.
Stuart
I have made three Herman cakes now (see photo gallery for my first cake) and have tried experimenting with the recipe. I do not add much oil but add a tablespoon of lemon juice instead.
The cooking time was not quite enough and I added a further 20 mins, otherwise the cake was not cooked in the middle.
Finally I added more apple and less raisins. I have two more Hermans on the go and plan to try the banana and choc chips version next, and maybe raspberries for the second cake.
I have just made my first Herman and it was lovely. Can anyone tell me if you can freeze the starter kits please? I would like to make another cake but dont want to grow it again at the moment.
You can freeze the starter with no problems. Click here
Very excited to get my first Herman today and already know who I want to pass it onto so have to make sure I keep him alive. Sadly I am unable to eat wheat, does any one know if you can make the original batch using wheat free flour?
He’s in Nottingham, UK!
It’s day 9 today’ so excited to be cooking him tomorrow
PS I was given my Herman by a friend’s mom, who got it directly from Germany.
I am on day 10 of Herman and don’t know what flavor to try out can anyone give any suggestions, other than the one you are given on the sheet
Hey Olivia,
Try the recipe ideas page on vie website.
Stuart
Sourdough bread is amazing, San Francisco sourdough is by far the tastiest… Mmmmm!
He is in Brigg, Uk now being passed round but don’t know who to give the last 1/4 to…
Should I keep it and make another one???
You can freeze a portion of the starter mix. When you defrost it start as Day 1 again (of course you will end up with another four portions), or just make another cake which you could also freeze.
I had a Herman the German Friendship cake mix given to me ten days ago, it was my first time making it and even thou it took nearly two hours to cook it is delicious, even my 3 year old daughter said yummy to it too and wanted seconds.
Due to work going mental, I’ve not had chance to split herman or to bake him.
I am on about day 26!!! I keep stirring him & feeding him every few days. He’s half way up the kitchen way… He’s huge!!
Any advice on quanties as I don’t think we used the same cup each time we fed him & we’ve a bucket full of herman!!?
Help! We have a Herman and I just realized we’re going out of town for 4 days, ON DAY 9. What do I do?
what I mean is, it it ok to leave him for that long without stirring?
made banana and walnut replaced apples and saltanas with2large bananas mashed and cup of walnuts I left out cinnamon as kids don’t like it. FAB.
Margaret, that’s a nice sounding cake. I will add it to the recipe ideas page.
Thanks
Stuart
Hi
I have just made a pineapple & walnut Herman, which my husband tells me was the tastiest one! (I also made the apple & cinnamon and a banana & chocolate Herman)
Simply substitute the apple, raisins and cinnamon for:
1 can tinned pineapple pieces
packet of walnuts, broken into pieces
Delicious!
Added to recipe ideas page
i made this and realy enjoyed it i put mixed spice in and not the cinnamon and it was realy nice and it was the first time that i had herd of it and iam going to make it again
I was in work when my deputy manager said his wife had been given a Herman. I was very interested to know more, so my deputy manager said once they get to the dividIng part I could have a starter goo. A few days later I got my goo and instructions. My husband and I then looked after the goo for ten days.
We gave two to other people I work with. We made an Apple Walnut and Raisin Herman, he was yummy. Today we have just made a Crunchie Bar Herman who is cooking as I write this. I got the idea from one on the site so thank you to who ever posted it. I have given some of my first one to the people who live either side of me and they really enjoyed it.
Looking forward to making more. Xxx
Help! It’s day 10 and my oven is broken! Can I cook Herman in the microwave? Any idea what temp and how long?
Thanks!
Delia
I use pretty much the basic recipe, though I only use one good cup of starter (about 10 fl.oz), adding:
- 2 HEAPED teaspoons cinnamon (I get mine from the local Turkish grocery, and it’s much nicer than Schwartz!)
- About 100g EACH chopped dates and chopped crystallised stem ginger (chopped fairly finely, and mixed with the flour etc before adding the wet ingredients)
Baked in a small/medium roasting pan, lightly greased, then lined with greaseproof paper which is also greased.
Unbaked cake dough that takes 10 days before it’s ready? My husband was given a jar of this (raises eyebrow), how many grubby hands has this Frankensteins monster of a cake been through. If I want a cake, I’ll go to the shop and buy one, iced and everything……Herman? Pffffft
Hi,
I’ve been Hermanning for months, making a couple of cakes at the end of each 10 day cycle, and passing on both baked cakes and mixture. We all love Herman here!
However, it generally means a baking marathon for me, and sometimes it’s not terribly conveniently timed!
What I was wondering was,
Can I use a ladle full of the mixture to make a cake anytime during the cycle, or do I have to wait for day 10?
I’d be very grateful if anyone could advise me
Angela,
Thanks for getting in touch. I suppose the best way of looking at it is that the starter you give away on day 9 is what you bake with on day 10, the same thing you’d receive on day 1. So on days 1 – 4 you could probably bake with it; you’d just gave less to go along with for the rest of the cycle. After feeding on day 4 it may be best to allow Herman to ferment some more before using (natural airborne yeast is introduced as well as the yeast already in the starter).
Realistically I don’t think it’d be a problem to bake with Herman at any stage of the cycle that suits you. Just use the right amount – about a cup full I think.
Good luck,
Stuart
Thank you for your help! I’ll let you know how it goes
My Herman reached day 8 then got neglected entirely. It’s now day 15. He’s still bubbling & yeasty. Can I go ahead pretending it’s day 9 or will I die a long lingering death if I make him now?? I notice several people have asked this question or something similar but no one has answered – is this a bad sign? Please tell me! Thanks.
If he’s still bubbling he’ll be fine.
Thanks! Will go ahead. If you don’t hear from me again you’ll know I’ve poisoned myself!!
)
Well I’m still here! Cake was absolutely delicious. I used self raising flour instead of plain and baking powder and accidentally used double the starter mix but followed all other instructions to the letter. Gave some away with the starter mixes and everyone loved it. Yum!
Thanks for getting back to us Sharon.
It’s always good to hear about how people have tweaked the recipe here and there. That will probably answer a lot of questions from people re: self raising flour.
Thanks
Stuart
(if you feel like writing for the website, ping me an email!)
I never use baking powder. I’m used to making bread, and I thought – why go to all that trouble making a yeast starter, which is a beautifully flavoured raising agent in itself, and then put in baking powder? Instead, I make the cake batter with plain flour, put it in the tin, then leave it resting for at least an hour before baking. Works every time.
Help please I’ve been given my first herman mix followed instructions on day 4 I’ve just added the ingredients but I read them wrong and added water instead of milk!will it die now?also as I’m pregnant am I allowed to actually eat this as it has sour milk in it??
Can you make Herman with either lactose free milk or soya milk?
My mum gave me a Herman earlier this year; I’ve passed starters on to quite a few people along the way. One suggestion was to make it into muffins or cupcakes. This works really well but obviously don’t put melted butter or sugar on the top. I’ve made the basic ones (my recipe also has 1/2 cup walnuts in it) plus apple & pear ones. Also tried banana, walnut & choc chip ones too. On a suggestion from another friend I’m going to try carrot instead of the apple now too
Brilliant suggestions, thanks for posting!
Stuart
I was given the Herman starter but suffer both gluten and dairy intolerances – so wondered what I should I do!
Since there was no dairy in the recipe I decided to proceed with Dove’s Plain Gluten Free flour mix – (I’m intolerant not allergic!) – and so by the time I had baked “my” cake there was only a tiny percentage of gluten from the original starter.
I thought that others might like to know that it worked perfectly with the gluten-free flour. However, not being sure that it would work I baked FOUR cakes instead of passing on three mixes and baking one cake – but others might like to take up the challenge and make a gluten free starter.
There are some great comments and useful questions being posted. Keep them coming everyone!
Stuart
Hi
I split my Herman last Sunday and should have made the cake on Monday, However I’ve been really busy and haven’t had chance. Is it ok to make the cake now (it’s Thursday) or should I throw the mix away and start again.
He’s still bubbling away quite nicely and looks ok
Thanks
Get baking, a few days doesn’t matter if Herman is still alive and bubbling.
Good luck, please come back to let us know how your Herman goes.
Stuart
My 8yr old daughter was given starter Herman. We were a day or two out on some of the instructions but went ahead and baked on day 12. We made a chocolate and raspberry one and it is yummy! Baked it in 2 smaller tins for 35 mins and turned out fine.
I tried the recipe for Herman Bread, then took it a stage further and adapted a breadmaker recipe for Herman and it worked a treat. You can see the recipe and method here.
Herman had his sugar cut down on the last feed as an experiment!
Hi! We’ve loved our adventure with Herman and shared his journey on our blogpost and Twitter… Have a look at our blog to see how we got on – Herman The German is Living in My Kitchen!
Made our family smile and we will be sad to see him baked in a way… Something Yummy ahead though! Great!!
Love the idea and have been telling as many people about it as we can! xx
Just enjoying my first Herman and have second mix on the go. Think I will try substituting the apples and raisins with apricots and sultanas next time. Fresh apricots are around at the moment but when they are out of season then I think a 400g tin of apricots should do. Will also add the juice from the tin and reduce the oil by the same amount. Heres hoping!
Well I have to say I was a little sceptical about Herman when my sister 1st told me about him BUT I am now a converted Herman lover!! I’m on day 8 today so tomorrow I have to say goodbye to 3 portions
I will be very sad when he’s baked and I have no Herman to nurture and care for SO I may just start up my own Herman The German! I’m going to use the banana and choc chip recipe though as I’m not keen on apples and raisins in it when my mum gave me a taste of hers. Fingers crossed he’ll work out.
Thank you for converting me to Herma the German!!!!
I really liked making Herman, but found the cooking time too short, you must cover the cake @ 45 mins or it will burn and then cooked on for another 30 mins.
Yes you can add a few days on and then cook it, I am about to try some different ingreadiants, will let you know how I get on. Thanks for all your tips and advice on Hermann the German Friendship cake.
A winner every time for me*******
Just finished cooking Herman and it took 45 mins with an extra 10 on top.
What a wonderful Smell It’s a Banan Chocolate Chip with a touch of Coconut.
Can Not wait to try it out Hmmm.
I will try a White Chocolate and Strawberry later today.
Hi, we have a very prolific rhubarb plant in the garden so I was keen to try a rhubarb Herman cake.
I just substituted the apple for rhubarb (about 350g) then added a good amount of dried ginger and a couple of tablespoons of marmalade (would have liked to use ginger preserve but didn’t have any) instead of the raisins.
The cake was yummy, couldn’t taste the orange but was like a Jamaican ginger loaf on top with a sloppy rhubarb layer at the bottom. Not the most beautiful cake but yum.
Anyone else tried using rhubarb!
my herman has clear liquid under the layer of skin like milk would go like when it goes of is this normal???
Wish I had known you can freeze Herman. Didn”t have time to find adoptive families for him so cooked all of him to share. Took hours to cook. I had difficulty removing him from most of his tins so had to eat loads of broken bits. I felt justified in doing this beause I cant abide waste but felt ill! Next time I will do the same, but better.Unfortunately, my freezer is full. Yummy!
I have just baked my first Herman, but only used 4 ozs sugar on the final day. Also used Rice Bran Oil (no cholesterol) and used eating apples instead of cooking apples. Didn’t put the sugar or butter on top but when it was cooked, brushed with melted butter and sprinkled with brown sugar. I baked the cake for 45 mins gas 3 and then another 1 hour 45 mins at gas 4 (covered in foil) !!! Result – perfect.
I make my herman with chocolate chips and coconut, bake it in a loaf pan for nearly an hour to cook all the way through. I also have sometimes used self-raising as I was out of the other and there didn’t seem to be any difference. It was all so very good!!
I have done 2 of these delicious cakes! first one was the recipe minus cinnamon, dont like it 2nd one added dessicated coconut and glacie cherries mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. now want to try a savory one
I used skimmed milk and it worked out perfectly.
Helloo peeps, just wondering if anyone has attempted a low fat version of Herman using low fat milk, and margarine? Or, am I totally missing the point here??
Thanks in advance!!
I think it would be good if there was a way to register your Herman and then put the code number on the instructions page when you passed it on! you could then see how many generations it had travelled and where it had been!
Hi,
I was given a Herman, and have fallen in love!
I am on my 3rd batch, gave 2 away each time and kept 2 for myself – one to bake, one to keep going. I am running out of people to pass Herman on to, and was wondering, can I only add 1/2 the quantities of milk, sugar, flour on day 4 & 9, and then just divide Herman into 2 portions – one to bake, one to keep going?
Thanks
as Stuart has said, the startre you have on day one, is actually someone elses 1/4 portion from day 9/10 so the mix is the same at any point, if you want to only make half quantities that’s fine. but you could also freeze some and use it at a later date.
as my family are diabetic is there any chance that sugar supplement ie splenda canderel can be used instead of sugar?
A friend from work gave me my Herman mix and I was a bit dubiuos to start but once I’d looked after him and cooked him, I’ll definitely be doing this again, he’s delicious.
I made a couple of changes to the final ingredients, I used 1 Jonagold apple and soaked my raisins in tea before mixing them in, makes them plum and juicy, also i think i’ll add some mixed spice to the next mix I do, I love that taste
Sorry no picture he got eaten to fast to photograph!
Hi,
Unfortunately havent been able to take a pic as not much left of it now lol.
In place of the apples, cinnamon and raisins, I used one large tin of drained pineapple chopped, half a cup of coconut milk and one cup of dessicated coconut. The end result was an absolutely amazing very light and moist cake.
Dee
New Home New Friends
We have not long moved into a small village in Wales from a busy town in Hampshire. We was given Herman from a girl from my sons school. We followed the sheet that came with him. I cooked Herman today and I have to say I didnt think it would taste this lovely.
All my boys love it. Because we dont know anyone here yet. I am going to cook all the mixture and take it down to the local Primary School. I think its a fitting way of sharing Herman with new friends. And i hope they enjoy it as much as we did. Cake Box Now Empty. Thankyou Herman.
I will cook you again and next time I’ll pass you on
Hi when I split the cake in to fore and give it a way do they have to start from day 4 like I did or day 1
My wife was given some Herman by a friend but as I have the sweeter tooth and love cooking she kept the mix going and I did the baking. As a fan of banana bread I decided to add 2 cups of mashed ripe banana and a cupful of chopped walnuts to the final mix and, as we were not sure how much it might rise I split the mixture between two cake tins giving us two thinner cakes. The cooking time was spot on, so maybe those who have problems with wet cakes might like to try this. The cake was delicious. A bit sweet for my wife so I’m going to experiment with cutting down the sugar in the final mix. What astonished me is that the cake kept so well. We have a real problem in our house of bread going mouldy in no time… but Herman just sat happily on the worktop with a piece of tinfoil over the top to keep off the flies and stayed fresh and moist for three weeks (no room in the fridge). I want to explore the savoury and see if I can come up with a cheese Herman.
If you have frozen herman to use another day can you put him in the microwave to defrost him?
I am a diabetic and want to find out the carbohydrates of a simple portion of Herman the German Friendship cake.If you know weight and carbs please tell me in 6 days.(Thats how long I have left for Herman).
Hello Hermanners! We have had a LOT of delicious Hermann cake so I have moved on to making bread, the only problem is that he is very sweet. Is it possible just to feed him on flour and milk/water, as with other sourdough mixes, and he will eat (
) the starch in the flour? Does anyone have any savoury, very sour recipes? Will he become more sour the longer I grow him? Have had him for about three months now, took him to my Biology class and they loved him!
THANK YOU!
I’ve just made a Herman without any apple in, and the cake has cooked perfectly in the 45 minutes given in the recipe. I wonder if this means that the moisture in the apple has to be evaporated for it to cook in the 45 minutes? I also wonder if you could use soaked dried apple pieces.
About to bake my second Herman cake, I remember baking them about 20 years ago! Anyway I the recipe seems a little different, and so much sugar! Has anyone reduced the sugar for a successful cake?
Does anyone know of a gluten free herman recipe, or can I just make him using gluten free flour? I was planning to use it as part of my teaching next term, but have a coeliac child in my class, so would love to know of a gluten free version! Thanks!
This post might help – Herman The German Friendship Cake – Dealing With Intolerances
Come back and let us know how you got on. Photos always welcome!
Stuart
Does anyone know how to start off Herman?
Here is the page on the website that you need – Starting Your Own Herman
Friendship Cake Instructions
Hi there, Time to share our time spent with “Herman”. He was given to my wife back in Jan 2012, since then my wife has baked 12 and he is still going strong. to-date we have had pineapple/cranberries/flaked almonds—Date/walnut/apple–apricot/pear/flaked almond–choc chip bits/fl almond/pear/coca powder–mini marshmallows/gl cherries/fl almond–choc chip bits/banana/fl almond–hazelnuts/currants/choc bits–lemon+orange slices/almonds/poppy seeds–hazelnut/maltesers/orange zest– The latest which I have just tried was marshmallow/gl cherries/hazelnut/choc chip/cocoa powder. I have not tasted a bad 1 yet and cant imagine life without “Herman”. Had a 3 week holiday March time and left him home alone…no problem, lively as a dog with 2 tails after a vigorous stir:)
Thanks Shaun,
I’m sure your comments will answer a few questions, especially about whether you can leave Herman without stirring for a period of time.
If you or your wife do any more Hermans, please feel free to get in touch with more info and also a photo or three!
Don’t forget the Herman competition where you can win Amazon vouchers. Visit the website for more info.
Stuart
I think I have killed Herman! It is Day 10, I have been stirring and feeding the mixture but I didn’t realise I shouldn’t put clingfilm over it and I think it must have died as it hasn’t grown or bubbled since the first day. Can I bring him back to life or do I just have to throw it all away?!
My latest Herman didn’t bubble much but then I froze him. After he thawed he was bubbling very well.
Ooh maybe I should try that, then. Cryogenic Herman – Amazing!
I was given the recipe from a Friend. Having never baked anything before it was a challenge.
I decided to use Pineapple rather than Apples as I have an intolerance to Apples. I used processed crushed pineapple from a tin, but fresh would have done the same job.
Followed the basic recipe, with my spouse laughing all the way. But it went well and we’ve enjoyed eating it.
As we don’t use butter we substituted low calorie margarine which had the same effect. Found that the pineapple tended to sit toward the lower half of the cake, so suspect that the mix was a little thin although it felt stiff when stirred.
Will be trying more in the future.
I was asked by a friend at work if I would be interested in making a german friendship cake, I had no idea what this was, so my friend told me what she had done, I said ok i’d give it a go, and like all of you who have recieved herman, he is a goo sitting in a bowl, so I took him home and began looking after him.
He is easy to look after, just follow the instructions and when you get to bake and then taste him, well, he is the best I have had in a long time, I put flaked almonds and chopped walnut and a few cherries in my herman , it was lovely, give it a go, its also fun to do.
My Herman is in my oven as we speak with a little foil hat on waiting for the middle to cook properly in his lovely heart shaped mould. I got him from a friend at work and now I have 2 Herman babies to give away to some more friends, I am keeping 1 portion to start him all over again. I have used flaked almonds, white chocolate and raspberries. He smells delicious when cooking and very beery smelling when bubbling away!
Was a bit dubious as to whether it would turn out ok but so far so good. Time to check on him again…
I’ve just made my first batch of Herman Cake and want to make welsh cakes as I have just moved to Wales… Anybody know a good reliable recipe?!
I was given a Herman a few months ago, however I am Dairy and Gluten intolerant. I have been using gluten free flour (and sometimes substituting half of this with rice flour) and soya milk and have so far made 4 perfect Herman cakes which have been delicious. It seems to me that you cannot fail with this cake whatever you use!!
For any bakers that live in hotter climes, as I do, South Africa, Herman prefers the fridge. The first time I made him and placed him in the fridge, in a glass container, as instructed he tried to escape. He bubbled all over the fridge, so I now use a taller glass bottle, in the fridge!
I was so excited to find him on the net, thank you!
JUST RECEIVED MY FIRST EVER HERMAN. I’M SO EXCITED. MY MOUTH IS DROOLING AT THE THOUGHT OF THIS LOVELY HERMAN WHICH LOOKS LIKE A BOWL OF SICK IN A BOX . I HAVE SHOT HERMAN AND NOW I’M WONDERING WILL I BE ARRESTED ON CHARGES OF MANSLAUGHTER. STUART PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE HELP ME. WILL YOU MAKE ME A HERMAN FOR MY BIRTHDAY TOMORROW?
THANKS A LOT,
BEST HERMAN WISHES.
STUART
PS HERMANS FUNERAL IS ON THE 1ST OF OCTOBER 2012 IN BERLIN. EVERYONE FELLOW HERMAN DISCIPLE IS INVITED
HERMAN FOREVERRRRRRR
Hello everyone,
I’ve just been given my first Herman and I’m so excited!! But please could someone tell me what I do if I don’t have three friends? I’ve only got my mum and dad to give it to.. Can I bake it as a half of the mixture or will that ruin the Herman and cause a catasrophe?
Thanks in advance Herman lovers
Bob
I would give two away and freeze the other. That way you’ll have one next time you want to start another. Or you could probably divide after Day 4 and not bother adding to it. As long as each starter and baking portion are about a cup full, just like the one you were given.
Stuart
I made a few cakes with banana n choc chip,also apple n raspberry topped with almond flakes.pear and blueberry and pear and blackberry!the originals yummy too,i love cinnamon
Finding people to give dough to is becoming a pain,i threw it out last time,
how do i make a cake without having to split and give away dough x
Hi Di,
Thanks for getting in touch. Maybe you could make a starter, split it, freeze 3 portions to use later and bake with the other. Then you’d have a little Herman ready and waiting whenever you feel the urge!
Don’t forget that day 1 is the same as day 9 so you don’t have to go through the 10 day process each time you thaw a Herman starter.
Stuart
Hello everyone,
I am curious to see if anyone has used Herman in the traditional way, without baking powder. Sourdough cake starters are an old-fashioned method of getting cake to rise, one that predates the invention of baking powder and other chemical leavening agents (mid-19th century). In all the recipes posted on this site, a good portion of baking powder is added to the cake batter, and it is the baking powder, not Herman himself, that is responsible for most of the rising action. Has anyone tried making a Herman cake without baking powder — and if so, what did you need to do? I have made several successful Hermans with baking powder, but am tempted to try an experiment in historic cake making…
Hi Rebecca,
Sounds as though you are the perfect person to give it a go and let up know
If you want to do it and send a write up with photos there could be a reward for you!
Stuart
I think this is because we are used to always making cakes with baking powder. We’ve done this ever since it was invented, but we must have raised cakes with just yeast before that (cf Elizabeth David’s bread book).
I would assume you make the mix and leave it to rise before baking. I have forgotten to include baking powder once as I don’t tend to use self raising flour and the cake did still rise OK, without being left. I have been pondering this same question myself!
I’ve just made a raising agent free herman and he performed wonderfully.
I made the mix with plain flour and no bicarb, left it at room temperature for a few hours to bubble and increase in size, then I poured it into baking tins being very careful not to knock too much air out of it, and baked it as normal. Yummy!
I’ve just been playing and created two new recipes, lemon, poppy seed and white chocolate Herman and carrot, orange and lemon semolina Herman.
Lemon, poppy seed and white chocolate Herman
The poppy seeds give an interesting taste and texture to this Herman cake. It vanished very quickly when left exposed to a crowd of hungry railway volunteers!
Ingredients
• 3/4 of a cup of oil
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup self-raising flour
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• 1 cup of ground almonds
• 1/2 cup of poppy seeds
• 3/4 cup of white chocolate drops
• zest of 2 lemons, juice of 1
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 and 1/2 cups of Herman
Method
1. Mix eggs with vanilla and add to rest of ingredients, adding Herman last.
2. Pour into a lined baking pan and cook at about 175°C, for about 45 minutes.
3. If not done after 45 minutes turn off the oven and allow it cook on in the residual heat. This technique will finish off most cakes unless it is still really liquid in the middle!
Carrot, orange and lemon Herman
Another experiment, replacing ground almonds with semolina for a different texture and to soak up a slightly soggier mix due to the citrus juice.
Ingredients
• 3/4 of a cup of oil
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup self-raising flour
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• 1 cup of semolina
• 300g grated carrot
• zest of 1 lemon
• zest of 1 orange
• ½ the juice from both fruits
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp of mixed spice
• 1 and 1/2 cups of Herman
Method
1. Mix eggs with vanilla and add to rest of ingredients, adding Herman last.
2. Pour into a lined baking pan and cook at about 175°C, for about 45 minutes.
3. If not done after 45 minutes turn off the oven and allow it cook on in the residual heat. This technique will finish off most cakes unless it is still really liquid in the middle!
I mixed the last of the citrus juice with a melted bar of white chocolate and used this as icing, but it would also work well with a cream cheese icing.
Hey Beth,
Love these recipes! I’m going to use them for my recipe of the month in November, if that’s ok.
I’ll add them to the recipe page too. Did you take any photos?
If you make any more Hermans do come back and let me know.
Thanks again,
Stuart
Sorry Stuart, only just seen this! Yes I did take photos this time, what do I do with them?
Got my first Herman and he’s ready to bake tomorrow glad for all the variations on fillings nay try cherry and walnut first , then pineapple sounds great. Glad you can freeze him too want to keep him, I’ll miss looking after him.
Hi there! So I’m on my ninth day of my herman cake, I’ve fed Herman with its food but I dont think I’d be able to give away to my friends today. If I stir again tomorrow (day 10) and give it out on day 10/11 would it be okay? Thankyou!
He’ll be fine
Ahh thats good thankyou! Im so glad herman has been able to survive for long!
can you add the last feed ingredients and cook on the same day?
I would guess you could feed in the morning and bake in the evening as it needs some time to digest the sugars in the feed and grow.
I have a Herman on its third cycle but it seems to have died. I fed it yesterday but it’s not bubbling and is not pleasantly sour as it normally is. Any ideas? Could it be because I only gave Herman half the feed so I ended up with less volume? (Not everyone wants a cake starter every 10 days!! ) I guess I can use it as the foundation of a cake even it’s not active then start again.
The Lemon and White Chocolate was delicious even without the Poppy Seeds. I think Coffee variations are next. Thanks.
My third batch of herman isn’t bubbling despite looking after him as usual. Could it be that my kitchen is cooler now it is winter?
Hi, I’ve just cooked my first Herman as a cake and a bread (in the bread maker) with great success. I,ve kept a starter for my next cycle but it is very thick, much thicker than the starter I was origanally given, it is bubbling beautifully. Do I need to thin it out a bit, it’s very hard to stir?.
I cooked my Herman yesterday. I swapped the raisins for dates.
It was delicious!
I am running low on ingredients to feed my Herman on day 4! Will he survive on 1 cup of flour, 3/4 cup of milk and 1/2 cup of sugar??
Only one way to find out! I expect he’d be ok but don’t quote me on that.