1/08/14

Friendship Fruit Cake {plus Starter Recipe}

A tried-and-true family recipe for Friendship Fruit Cakes and fruit cake Starter.

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So… fruit cake. Yeah, I know, it sucks right? Those hard, dense loaves that circulate around Christmastime that you could build an igloo with need to go back to whichever decade they crept out of.

Except, guess what? Not all fruit cakes are gross. As a matter of fact, this one is anything but. It’s moist and airy and bursting with yummy bits of tender fruit. And this one is special. This one is special because you can only get it from a friend.

That’s right. You have to be chosen.

A tried-and-true family recipe for Friendship Fruit Cakes and fruit cake Starter.

When you first get one, it comes with a mysterious “starter” jar filled with this syrupy pink liquid. And you’re all like, ummm… thanks, pal. What am I supposed to do with this jar? Light it on fire and hurl it at the neighbors like a Molotov Cocktail? or… A fruit cake? Really… you shouldn't have. Reallllly.

But then you taste the fruit cake and you’re blown away with how awesome it is and feel bad for acting like a brat about it.

And then you actually sit down and read the recipe and start to feel all special because you see how much thought and planning went into it and you were chosen to receive it.

A tried-and-true family recipe for Friendship Fruit Cakes and fruit cake Starter.

And now, instead of thinking what the crap am I supposed to do with this? you’re secretly wondering which of your other friends were chosen and which weren't and you want to go set your pink jar on the porch and point a spotlight at it so everyone will know you were chosen.

Or something like that.

This is a lot of fun and makes incredible gifts. You just have to plan ahead and buy a few jars. I plan on getting the kids involved with making the next batch because it’s kinda like a science experiment. And it’s chocked full of life lessons about booze and being chosen. Ha.

A tried-and-true family recipe for Friendship Fruit Cakes and fruit cake Starter.

And guess what else? I’m going to show you how to make your own Starter. So you can make all of it you want and sit on your porch all be all like, Oh, you didn't want to give me one? Well, joke's on you because I made my own!

I’m going to end on that note because I seem to be getting away from the true spirit of friendship :o) though, my friends are seriously kooky and will think this is funny even if the rest of you think I have finally lost it.

Recipe for Friendship Fruit Cake plus Starter Recipe

Friendship Fruit Cake & Starter Recipe

Friendship Fruit Cake & Starter Recipe

Yield: 4-5 Starters & 2 Large Cakes
Author: Mandy Rivers | South Your Mouth
A tried-and-true family recipe for Friendship Fruit Cakes and Starter

Ingredients

Friendship Fruit Cake Starter
  • 1 20-oz. can pineapple chunks, drained
  • 1 16-oz. can apricots, drained
  • 1 16-oz. can sliced peaches, drained and cut into chunks
  • 1 10-oz. jar maraschino cherries, drained
  • 1 1/4 cups brandy
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
Friendship Fruit Cakes
  • 1 pint Friendship Fruit Cake Starter
  • 1 16-oz. can sliced peaches, with liquid – do not drain
  • 1 20-oz. can pineapple tidbits, with liquid – do not drain
  • 2 10-oz. jars maraschino cherries, drained and halved
  • 6 cups sugar, divided
  • 8 eggs, beaten
  • 1 1/3 cups vegetable oil
  • 2 boxes yellow cake mix
  • 2 small boxes instant vanilla pudding
  • 2 cups chopped pecans or walnuts
  • 2 cups sweetened flaked coconut (optional)
  • 2 cups raisins (optional)

Instructions

Friendship Fruit Cake Starter
  1. Combine all ingredients in a large glass jar and stir well. Cover with a LOOSE-FITTING LID (nothing air-tight) or with a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth secured with a rubber band then let stand at room temperature for three weeks, stirring 2-3 times each week.
  2. Drain fruit, reserving liquid (Starter). Proceed to cake recipe below.
  3. Use fruit to make cakes (starting at Step 6) if desired or use as a topping for pound cake or ice cream.
Friendship Fruit Cakes
  1. Day One: Pour Starter into a large glass jar. Cut peaches into chunks then add peaches with juice into jar. Add 2 cups sugar then stir well. Cover jar with a LOOSE-FITTING LID (nothing air-tight) or with a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth secured with a rubber band. Stir mixture once each day for 10 days.
  2. Day Ten: Add pineapple tidbits with juice to the jar. Add 2 cups sugar, stir well and cover. Stir mixture once each day for 10 more days.
  3. Day Twenty: Add drained and halved cherries to the jar. Add 2 cups sugar, stir well and cover. Stir mixture once each day for 10 more days.
  4. Day Thirty: Time to Bake! Grease and flour 4 small (8-inch, 6-cup) or 2 regular (10-inch, 12-cup) bundt pans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  5. Drain fruit, reserving liquid to be given away as Starter (should yield 4 pints).
  6. Combine eggs and oil in a large bowl then mix well. Add cake and pudding mixes then mix until combined (batter will be thick). Stir in fruit, nuts, coconut and raisins.
  7. Divide batter evenly into pans. Bake at 325 degrees until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean (40-50 minutes for small, 60-90 minutes for large).
  8. Remove cakes from oven then cool in pans. Store cakes at room temperature in an air-tight container. Freeze for up to three months.
fruit cake, starter, friendship, cake, fermented, brandy, best, how to, recipe, fruitcake, batter, gifts, bundt
dessert, cakes
Keep up with my latest shenanigans by following South Your Mouth!
A tried-and-true family recipe for Friendship Fruit Cakes and fruit cake Starter.

A tried-and-true family recipe for Friendship Fruit Cakes and fruit cake Starter.

74 comments:

  1. Oh my... I am so thrilled to see this recipe! My mother used to make it when I was a kid, but over the years I've lost the recipe.... and the starter. LOL

    She used to use the orange supreme cake mix instead of a yellow one. It was SO very good.

    Thank you so much, Mandy. Definitely filing this one away in a safe space.

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    1. Orange supreme sounds wonderful! Glad you can make the starter and cake again!

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  2. Wow, You brought back some memories with this recipe!!! Mom used to keep a glass jar of "brandied fruit"going on the kitchen counter. She would make the cake, which was wonderful, but we also ate the fruit as a topping on homemade vanilla ice cream......heavenly! Thanks for the recipe and a trip down memory lane! :)

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    1. This one brings back good memories for me too :)

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  3. Hi Mandy!

    Just wanted to leave you a comment..because well, I figured that you ought to know that I visit your blog daily!
    You have become my #1 favorite blog....and there's not one recipe that you've posted that I haven't tried and didn't like! They're all (in my Mandy voice) AMAZEBALLS!

    Anyway, I usually don't comment....but will try to visit the recipes I've tried and comment more often.
    Love the cranberry stuff...I've made it twice since Thanksgiving.

    I'm going to try your Squash Casserole and Honey Garlic Chicken this weekend!

    Blessings from Kentucky!

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    1. Best comment E V E R ! ! ! ! Thank you for taking the time to write.... you made my day!

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  4. I am confused - when you bake your cake do you use any of the fermented starter liquid?

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    1. No, you use the fruit only and give the starter away to a friend.

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  5. Thank You for a starter recipes that actually makes sense to me. This is one of the cakes I use to make quite a bit when I first started baking, over 30 plus years ago. I love the cake it is moist and rich and fruit. I had lost the starter and could not find a starter recipe that sounded right. this one does. one question my aunt who actually started me on the cake years ago use to freeze starter is that acceptable, because unless you have friends for real like on facebook or you sip on the peach brandy starter it produces like three pints each time to share. Again Thank You so much.

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    1. It's funny you say that about it making sense. I had a helluva time making sense of this one... I must have called my mama six times! She had three pages of notes! I even drew a diagram on a piece of paper! I tried to take the confusion out of it when I wrote it and it sounds like I may have (hopefully!). I've never frozen it myself but I've heard plenty other people say they have and that it works just fine!

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    2. I have placed a starter in the freezer and while it doesn't freeze (alcohol) it maintains its thick, syrup consistency and works well for the next time I want to start my fruit for another batch of delicious friendship cake.

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  6. This sounds really good. Guess I'm different than most people, I have always loved Fruit Cake, IF it's fixed right. Your's sounds to good not to try it. Thank you very much for sharing, this is own my to-do-list.
    Hugs from NW Fl.
    LindY

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  7. Can we triple the first batch to get a larger amount of starter to share with family and friends this holiday season? I would like to give about 6 starters to give as Christmas gifts. Also, do you have to use the alcohol? Please advise. Thanks! I am excited to get started! :-)

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    1. Yes, you can double or triple it! You do need the alcohol to both preserve and ferment the fruit.

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    2. Thank you, Mandy! I am looking forward to making my first batch and sharing it with our family and friends! Happy holidays! :-)

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  8. Like others said, this brings back memories and YUM, that Friendship Cake was always the best! Thanks for going to the trouble of figuring this out - would be nice to begin this tradition again. What would you suggest for one who would want to make the cake from scratch rather than cake mixes and pudding mixes? Any ideas? Thanks in advance -

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  9. Thank you so much for posting this recipe. It brings back so many good memories. This cake is delicious and I've been thinking about making it for a long time, but kept finding Amish bread recipes instead. This is the real deal. Thank you again.

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    1. hi this is BuffyNFlorida Mandy I love your site

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  10. Hello,
    I came across your post and hope you can help me. I started the starter 10 days ago, but did not realize that the version I used was different. The version I used doesn't have brandy and uses both fruits and the juice. My question is that can I still add brandy during this process?
    Thanks
    Jenn

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    Replies
    1. Hmm... my fear would be that the fruit might be a little funky at this point with nothing in it to preserve it. If there's no fuzz, spots, mold, weirdness going on with it then yes, I think you can add the brandy now. Good luck.

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    2. Thank you for quick response!
      There is no fuzz,spots,mold or any kind of weirdness with the starter. The smell of it just like when first opened the fruit can. I was worrying that with the juice and brandy will not be a great combination, I will go ahead add the brandy tonight.
      Thanks again!
      Jenn

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  11. do you have to use brandy? can you substitue something else fot brandy?

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    Replies
    1. Bourbon or rum would work too :)

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    2. Mandy, my aunt and I have made this several times and have never used brandy. Our recipe is the same as your's and the mix came out just like you said. Cake is the most moist and wonderful that anyone can eat. Why put brandy in something so perfect.

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    3. Even though there is alcohol in the starter, any that is absorbed int toe fruit during the fermenting process would be burned off during baking. It would still be ok for anyone to eat.

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  12. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! I used to make this years ago with my friends when my children were small. We kept the starter going around for quit awhile. I lost mine when we moved and was never able to get it again. Now I can start this again but this time it will be with my daughter, daughter-in-law and grandaughter. It will be even better now because I can start it with the special people in my life.

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  13. I absolutely love your facebook page! I can't wait to see what recipes you will post next. Like most people that have commented on this recipe, it brings back memories from when I used to make this 20+ years ago. I have my jar of starter working on my kitchen counter and it will be ready on the 10th. Once I drain the fruit, do you think there will be enough juice to start the fruit for 2 recipes? I found out that I am going to be traveling over the Christmas holidays and I would love to take these cakes with me. I would just start another jar of starter, but there is not enough time to wait 3 weeks and then wait 30 days. Is it possible to make a batch of starter with the cherries in it and use the fruit and juice from that in a cake?? Help!!!

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    1. I think you can! I can't imagine any major reason it wouldn't work!

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    2. Great. My first batch of starter just finished today. There was a pint and a half of juice. I will start the 30 day process with that and then I will start a new batch of starter and use it in cakes in 3 weeks when it is done. :)

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  14. I started the 30 day fermented fruit cake recipe that does not have any alcohol in it and it does not foam up when stirred. A friend started hers the same day and when she stirs hers it foams up then settles back down after about 10 minutes. Is this still good? Could it be that my kitchen where I have it is not warm enough?

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    Replies
    1. I don't use Brandy. I use I package yeast. Works GREAT!

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  15. Well, I baked your friendship fruitcake last night. I made one in a 12 cup bundt pan and the 6 small bundt pans. My son, husband, and I had to sample one, so we cut it 3 ways and dug in. We LOVED it! I didn't use Maraschino cherries. I used regular canned bings. I used unsweetened coconut flakes and pecans. I have frozen them to give as gifts for Christmas. Have you frozen any? I'm curious to know the best way to thaw them or if it even works well. Thanks.

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    1. They freeze beautifully! Wrap in plastic wrap and thaw completely at room temp in the plastic. I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

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  16. Mandy,
    On the starter the amount of Brandy, is it 1 and 1/4 cup? or is it just 1/4 of a cup?

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    Replies
    1. thank you so much
      I used to make one similar to this, was so happy to find your site

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  17. the fruit in the starter does it make 2 6 cup bundt cakes?

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  18. Is this recipe in your cookbook? are there only 2 cookbooks? Iwant them both, just wondering if this recipe is in them

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    Replies
    1. Hi Nancy! No, this one isn't in either of the books.

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  19. How many cakes does the fruit from the starter make? I have 6 and 12 cup bundt pans

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  20. does anyone know how much fruit is in each cake? In the starter it says use fruit to make cake, but not how many cakes or how much fruit in each.
    thank you for any help. I started the fruit for the starter and want to use the fruit in the starter for a cake

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  21. Have you ever tried using the fruit from the starter to make the cakes, and not waiting another 30 days? Yes, I did not have a starter and didn't think about this recipe in time for Christmas presents! I gave myself a reminder on next year's calendar, BTW! Let me know what you think about using that lovely fruit from the starter. Thank You! Lily

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  22. I have used the fruit from the starter and saw no difference.

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  23. Many years I've had this starter for Christmas cooking. Hate it's called fruitcake 'cause everyone is like (ugh) fruitcake, thinking of another kind. Well, just wanted to add, when I use the brandy, I use apricot brandy and add apricots. I usually have to eat a piece of pineapple or apricots everyday to make sure it is still good....if ya know what I mean!

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  24. I use all sorts of cake mixes..chocolate...pineaple...orange..lemon..cherry chip...I just started making this again. Haven't in years.Great for gifts and bake sales

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  25. What happen to the dates that went into the cake? My aunt made this cake all the time when I was younger and she use to let me help. The one thing I always looked forward to, was putting the dates and nuts in the batter when it came time to bake. Then a few years ago I did a starter and made them myself. Again my favorite part was adding the dates and nuts into the batter, as I always ate some of the dates while the cake baked.

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  26. I have never had dates in this cake. Sounds good though may need to try it. How many dates do you add

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  27. Hello, I have starter in my fridge in a mason jar that has been in there for at least two years, do you think it would be safe to use?

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    1. Any jar will work, just don't seal it tight. And you'll want to leave this out of the fridge and keep it at room temperature :)

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  28. I made the fruit cake last year from the beginning making the starter and then the 30 days for the cake using your recipe. I froze my starter in jars. Took this out this year looked great started another batch in my large glass jar that I cover with cheese cloth I'm 14 days in and my fruit now has mold on top of it! What happened?? Should I have added more brandy? I use only a clean wooden spoon to stir. Is there anything I can to do save this starter? Thanks!

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    1. Whaaa?? I've never frozen it but I can't imagine that would be a problem. You don't need to add more brandy. Are you adding the sugar too? I've never had anything like that happen... that stinks! Unfortunately I don't think you can salvage it if there's mold. Something got in there... maybe the cheese cloth wasn't fine enough to keep out the heebie heebie. I hate to hear your batch is ruined after all that work.

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    2. I found several sites last year that said I could freeze the starter in mason jars. Yes I added the sugar and I kept a list by the starter so I could mark off each day when I stirred or added. Thanks for your advice and yes I'm pouring it all out unfortunately. I will try again next year using your recipe that everyone loves!!! Thanks

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  29. I made this cake many years ago. The problem I had is no one wanted the starter juice to make their own cakes. I ended up with a lot of juice. At first I froze it. It was okay, but then I had it for a while and I just through it out to be safe. Never had any mold at all. Now I will start making it again.

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  30. When I lived in North Carolina, I made this cake all the time. I now am retired and live in Tennessee and I am starting t again because it is the best cake ever!!!!

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  31. You say 16 oz can of peaches....another I have says 29 oz of peaches....please advise.

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  32. I absolutely love this cake & used to make it 25 years ago. I don't remember ever putting brandy in it. Is it possible to make this cake without the brandy.

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    1. I'm not sure... I would think it's necessary to preserve the fruit.

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    2. Keep in mind the brandy is only needed to make your first starter. Once you have a starter, you no longer need to add the brandy. The alcohol helps with the fermenting and preserving process. Otherwise you may get mold.

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  33. I use to make it all the time and I never used Brandy or yeast and it always turned out great.

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  34. Thank you so much for posting YOUR recipe, it's much easier to follow than the others I've ran across. Do you have any suggestions for baking in mini loaf pans, time/temperature or about how many it should make?
    Thanks again.

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    1. Thank you! I really don't know but I would bake at the same temperature for 20-25 minutes then check with a toothpick. Good luck!

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  35. pat in arkansas12/5/18, 11:07 PM

    I had this years ago when my sister sent it to me as a HaHa gotta ya. She knew I hated fruit cake but loved fruit, especially cherries. I held my nose and took a bite while she stood laughing at the surprise on my face. She is gone now so I was unable to get the recipe. The only thing is I am sure she would not use brandy. Do you know how to make the starter without it? If not, would rum work instead of brandy? Thanks for any help and have a Blessed day pat

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  36. Can you use a wine making yeast in the liquids to further aid in fermenting?

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  37. Made the starter using your instructions and everything went good. Have started the 30 day process now with the fruit and everything seems to be okay; however, since I added the pineapple and sugar in step two there is a small amount of foam that remains on top of the fruit. It foams well each time I stir the fruit but the small amount of foam remains. Is this okay? Everything smells okay and the fruit taste okay. Was just curious.

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    1. Yes! That's part of the fermentation process.

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  38. Been making this cake for years. This time, after adding pineapple a while film (not foam) formed on top within a couple days. Has no taste... What is it? Should I start over?

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    1. I found this online: "When fermenting vegetables, it is common to notice a white layer forming on top of the liquid after a few days. Often this white film is mistaken for mold, and the entire ferment is discarded. However, the white film is usually a type of yeast known as kahm yeast." I would search for article about fermenting and kahm yeast then decide if you want to proceed. Some articles say it's totally fine, some say it tastes bad (but they all say it's perfectly healthy).

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  39. Mandy,
    On starter if Brandy is 1 and 1/4 cup, does that mean sugar is 1 and 1/4 cup too?

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    Replies
    1. Yes. I don't understand why that's questionable though? What am I missing?

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  40. I'm on the add cherries step and dumped it all in juice and all. I should habe reread instructions. I have seen no foam on mine at all. The fruit all looks good and no nasties habe grown in it. I'm guessing its still safe to use? Will the cherry juice mess it up?

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