Friendship Bread–sweet Amish cinnamon friendship bread that doesn’t need a starter and is cooked in your Instant Pot, slow cooker or oven.

Friendship Bread without a starter
Have you ever been gifted a starter for Amish Friendship Bread? If you’re diligent you can enjoy that bread in about 10 days. The starter is a sourdough starter mixture in a ziplock bag and it comes with a list of instructions of what to do and how to make the bread. At the end of the ten days, you divide it into four portions, bake with one, and give the other three away. It’s a nice gesture and it truly is the most delicious bread ever! However have you ever wanted to make the bread today…right now!? I know I have!
Today’s recipe is going to show you how you can make amish friendship bread right now without a starter! You can bake the bread in the oven, crockpot or Instant Pot. Greg said this is the best bread he’s ever eaten. It’s a sweet bread with cinnamon and a pudding mix. I don’t know exactly why but it really is so delicious! I think I will make it again today!
Ingredients/Substitution Ideas
- Eggs
- Canola or vegetable oil
- Buttermilk–this is essential since we aren’t using yeast or sourdough starter. The buttermilk is what gives the bread it’s oomph.
- White sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Cinnamon
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Baking soda
- All purpose flour
- Dry vanilla pudding mix–I used Jello brand
Steps
- Mix the ingredients: In a mixing bowl add the egg, yolk, oil, buttermilk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, baking soda, flour and pudding mix. Stir until combined and smooth.
- Prepare the dusting mixture: In a small bowl stir together 1 Tbsp of white sugar and ¼ tsp of cinnamon.
- For baking in the oven: Grease a loaf pan and then dust the pan with the cinnamon sugar mixture. Scrape the batter into the pan. Bake at 325 degrees for one hour. For baking in the slow cooker: Grease the slow cooker and then dust the slow cooker with the cinnamon sugar mixture. Scrape the batter into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Each slow cooker cooks differently. I find the new slow cookers cook much hotter. For baking in the Instant Pot: Grease a 6 cup bundt cake pan* and then dust the pan with the cinnamon sugar mixture. Scrape the batter into the pan. Cover the pan with foil. Pour 1 ½ cups water into bottom of Instant Pot. Place the pan on a sling/trivet. Lower the pan into the Instant Pot. Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 40 minutes with a 10 minute natural pressure release.
- Serve and enjoy! Remove the bread from the pan and then let the bread rest for a few minutes before slicing and enjoying.
Notes/Tips
- The Instant Pot version of the bread will look light in color and be more moist and dense than the oven version. It doesn’t look like it is cooked through but it is. Remove it from the bundt cake pan immediately and let it sit on a cooling rack. I don’t suggest making this in another type of pan in the Instant Pot besides the bundt cake pan*. It won’t come out as well.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container* or a plastic bag in the pantry or refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Other recipes you can make with buttermilk are Cafe Rio Creamy Tomatillo Ranch Dressing, Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes and Keep A Man Chicken (Air Fryer Or Oven).

More Instant Pot Sweet Treats
Instant Pot Pumpkin French Toast Casserole
An easy way to make french toast! With pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice and streusel brown sugar pecan topping this is the perfect fall breakfast or treat. You can make this in the Instant Pot, slow cooker or the oven and can be prepped the night before and baked in the morning.
Instant Pot Chocolate Lovers Cheesecake
Chocolate lovers rejoice! This cheesecake has an Oreo crust, chocolate cream cheese filling and a chocolate ganache on top. The cheesecake is dreamy and creamy and has no cracks thanks to the Instant Pot!
Instant Pot Hummingbird Cake
A moist spice bundt cake with pecans, banana, crushed pineapple and cream cheese frosting!
Instant Pot Southern Peach Cobbler
A small batch, super fast and easy recipe for peach cobbler. It’s the perfect summer dessert and tastes great with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.
Did you know you can filter the recipes on my website to search by meat type, IP or Crockpot, low carb, gluten free, etc.? Use the filter to find exactly what you are looking for.


Friendship Cake
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings (makes one loaf)
Description
Sweet Amish cinnamon friendship bread that doesn’t need a starter and is cooked in your Instant Pot, slow cooker or oven.
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
- 3/4 cups buttermilk
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup of dry instant vanilla pudding mix
For sprinkling the pan
- 1 Tbsp white sugar
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl add the egg, yolk, oil, buttermilk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, baking soda, flour and pudding mix. Stir until combined and smooth.
- In a small bowl stir together 1 Tbsp of white sugar and ¼ tsp of cinnamon.
- For baking in the oven: Grease a loaf pan and then dust the pan with the cinnamon sugar mixture. Scrape the batter into the pan. Bake at 325 degrees for one hour. For baking in the slow cooker: Grease the slow cooker and then dust the slow cooker with the cinnamon sugar mixture. Scrape the batter into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. For baking in the Instant Pot: Grease a 6 cup bundt cake pan* and then dust the pan with the cinnamon sugar mixture. Scrape the batter into the pan. Cover the pan with foil. Pour 1 ½ cups water into bottom of Instant Pot. Place the pan on a sling/trivet. Lower the pan into the Instant Pot. Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 40 minutes with a 10 minute natural pressure release.
- Remove the bread from the pan and then let the bread rest for a few minutes before slicing and enjoying.
Notes
To double this recipe to make 2 loaves for the oven version–use 3 eggs total (no egg yolks) and use a whole small package of dry vanilla pudding (3.4 ounce package). Double all other ingredients.
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Instant Pot/Oven/Slow Cooker

*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
Karen,
Have you or anyone you know tried adding blueberries to this recipe? Just wondering, think I’m gonna try it.
Oh that sounds good! The only thing I would be concerned about is if they are frozen blueberries it’ll take longer to bake. But fresh blueberries will work I think!
They are fresh. I’m gonna roll them around in some flour & then add them to the batter & see what happens. Will come back & let you know. Thanks.
Worked perfectly. Was delicious.
★★★★★
mmmmm! Thanks Kim! This is good to know!
The vanilla pudding used, is it instant pudding or the cooked version?
Instant pudding.
Hi Brenda it is instant pudding mix.
When I was young a friendship cake had a fruit formented starter.
Over the years have lost the recipe for the fruit starter.By chance has anyone have that recipe ?
Please and Thank You
In Allrecipes website
Look up Thirty-Day Friendship Cake
Or Google old fashioned friendship cake recipe
thank you for your help.
Hi Karen,
I wish my husband were still with us to enjoy with me YOU, the hot pot and and all of the
wonderful recipes and ideas you bring into our lives. I know he is in heaven with a big smile
on his face as he shares mentally and emotionally my joy and fun with all you add to our lives.
THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH!!!
FONDLY,,
Gene G. (Ms.)
I’m sorry to hear about your husband! I wish he were here too to enjoy your cooking!