This recipe was adapted from Florence Fabricant’s Rye and Ginger Cake in New York Times Cooking.
We have a few Amish Friendship Bread recipes that boast a little booze, but this fabulous Rye and Ginger Amish Friendship Bread variation is definitely one for the grown ups, especially once you top it with a whiskey-raisin glaze. This is one of those recipes that tastes even better the next day, when all the flavors have had a chance to mellow and ripen.
Here’s a video to show you how I made this recipe:
Adding the eggs one by one is important in this recipe. You’ve already creamed the butter, sugar and Amish Friendship Bread starter so that high fat content doesn’t want to naturally mix with the eggs. Adding them one by one gives the batter a chance to fully incorporate the eggs and emulsify, resulting in a smoother texture in the finished bread.
Once you get your bread out of the oven, you’ll want to remove it from the pan and place it on a rack on top of a baking sheet before drizzling with the whiskey glaze. Poking the surface with a medium skewer allows the glaze to penetrate the bread even further. You’ll want to do this while the glaze is warm, because once it starts to cool, it won’t travel as far.
Your kitchen (actually, your whole house) will smell malty and amazing. It’s a perfect after-dinner digestif, and goes well with a finger of whiskey, a cup of strong coffee, or a tall, cold glass of milk. If saving for the next day or two, wait to slice and wrap well in foil once cool.
Rye and Ginger Amish Friendship Bread
Ingredients
Whiskey Soak
- ⅓ cup rye whiskey
- 1 cup crystallized ginger chopped
- ½ cup golden raisins
Dough
- 1 cup Amish Friendship Bread Starter
- 6 ounces unsalted butter softened (plus extra as needed)
- 2 cups flour (plus extra as needed)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 5 tablespoons sugar
- 3 eggs large
Whiskey Raisin Glaze
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- ⅓ cup rye whiskey
- ¼ cup golden raisins
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F (177° C).
- Prepare the whiskey soak: in a small saucepan, add ginger, raisins, and rye whiskey. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Butter a 9″ loaf pan. Dust with flour and set aside.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, ground ginger and salt.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar together until fully incorporated and fluffy.
- Beat in eggs, one at a time.
- Stir in flour mixture. Fold in the whiskey soak until just incorporated. Spread batter into loaf pan.
- Bake at 350° F (177° C) for one hour, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Place a baking sheet under a baking sheet. Remove loaf from pan when cool.
- While the bread is cooling, prepare Whiskey Glaze. In a small saucepan, stir ingredients over low heat until sugar has dissolved.
- Using a wooden skewer, poke holes in the cake (deeper holes allow more of the glaze to soak in). Brush on glaze and allow to set for 10-15 minutes before cutting.
Notes
>> Have you tried this recipe? Share your best pic with us or leave a comment below and let us know how it worked for you!
Oh, my husband would love this.
My husband and I do not drink. We don’t care for the taste of alcohol. I do not care for golden raisins either.
this looks like a wonderful Amish friendship recipe. I am not sure about the whisky. I don’t do alcohol.
is there a substitute?
planning to make this and give as gifts.
I have baked with Brandy, but never rye whiskey. I’m not sure I’d try this recipe.
Wondering if soaking candied fruits in whiskey and adding them to this recipe might be a good idea. Would bre somewhat similar to fruitcake, but more moist. I would also add some nuts. We’re a “nutty” bunch at my house.
I would totally bake this for a friend of mine who makes fruit cake for everyone this time of year – she soaks hers in whiskey too! I have cooked with alcohol before, but not like this – I would love to make a rum cake!
I make a biscotti that I would bet tastes very similar to this.
Sorry, this one is just not for me, but interesting recipe!
Not a big fan of rye, but may give this a try in the new year.
Sounds very interesting. Not a fan of whiskey, so might not try it.
This recipe I may not try. Rye is not my favorite.
Hmmm. Have not baked with alcohol before. Not sure this is one we’d try, but mostly because we’re not fans of ginger. Thanks.
I would definitely try this recipe. I have cooked with alcohol before.
I’m afraid I would have to say No to this recipe, I don’t drink alcohol. Too bad, it looks delicious, and I love both rye and ginger. There are sooo many yummy recipes here, though, I’m Sure I can find one to try instead~
Thank you for a lovely giveaway!
This looks really good. I will make this for my husband, I haven’t cooked with alcohol before.
This bread looks delicious and yes I would love to make it. I love bread, especially homemade fresh from the oven. with butter. Lol. I would have to try it with and without alcohol. Don’t think I would use it though. I love the rye, ginger and raisins. It sounds better and better. I am going to give it a try knowing I will love it just from the ingredients. Sharing it with my sister who loves bread also. Thank you for the recipe and the giveaway. Merry Christmas to you and your family.
I would try this and share is with my best friend, Kari.
I bet this would be fabulous recovery bread for those with a cold or flu, ginger is so notoriously good for an upset stomach. I must remember to make this and take it with me the next time I have to go on a boat outing for my sea sickness. I love how much ginger is in the recipe.
won’t try it because i really don’t like alcohol in food, just a thing with me i guess…
I will try when starter is finished I will definitely use the whiskey but no raisins not a fan all your recipes so d so yummy can’t wait try them all
Thanks
“Merry Christmas
Oh my gosh, this sounds amazing! The only time I’ve baked with alcohol is using vodka as a pie crust, I’ve never even made beer bread. I would totally give this a try though!! YUM!!
Not sure I’d make this since it has alcohol in it but I’m sharing the recipe with someone who would enjoy the recipe.
We don’t drink alcohol so we would substitute in this recipe. Root Beer would be a great substitution because it is a ginger recipe. The rye and ginger seems like it would go well together.
I’d give this a go even though I’m not a raisin lover. I’ve baked using alcohol before. I even make my own extracts with vodka!
This one is a definite maybe! I just started cooking with alcohol and this week made an amazing Rumchata cheesecake with a Fireball whisky caramel glaze to die for. Probably will do this bread for New Years party to share with friends. Thanks for the great 12 Days of Christmas! It was fun 🙂
I’d try it. I’ve never baked with alcohol before, but this looks delicious. I love ginger and raisins and am curious what the whisky flavor with them would be like. I’d share it with my husband and daughter and son-in-law.
I will give this recipe a try in a few weeks. I have used bourbon and rum in recipes and always enjoy the results.
I would not make this. Both hubby and I do not like alcohol. I do not like raisins. And not a big fan of ginger.
I like rye bread, but i never knew it was made with alcohol. I never cook with alcohol. I hate the taste. I guess I am a tea todler. I don’t know if I spelled it right. Sorry, but I don’t think I will bake this recipe. The contest has been wonderful.. thank you for all your work planning it and supplying the prizes. Have a great Christmas and blessed New Year.
The word is “teetotaler,” and while there would be alcohol in the glaze, the alcohol in the whiskey mixed into the loaf would evaporate during baking.
I agree that calling this “rye” bread when It’s actually “whiskey” bread is a bit of a misnomer.
Sounds delicious!! I’ve only used alcohol to flavor whipping cream for a cake..my father in law would love this!
I love experimenting with new recipes. will try this one after Christmas
Just made our annual Christstollen loaf and used golden raisins in it. I’m not a fan of regular raisins on their own, but could snack on golden raisins all day! Would definitely try this recipe if only for the golden raisins, but not sure what I would use to replace the whiskey. Probably omit the soak and do a non-alcoholic glaze on top.
When I first saw this I thought I have some rye flour I need to use up but lo and behold you meant Rye Whiskey! I will try this with Texas Ranger blended whiskey because it has vanilla undertones (husbands fav).Love this, something different for me No raisins not a fan of.
I have not made this recipe or cooked with alcohol, but I would give it a try. I don’t like rye, but my husband and parents do, so I would share it with them! It looks great.
I would totally bake this bread. Even though I don’t really drink alcohol, baking with it is something I do often. One of my favorites is a dark chocolate stout cake, its dense and so rich!
I like the idea of making this for a New Years party to share with others. I sometimes cook with alcohol but rarely with whiskey.
Love this recipe and plan to make it for Christmas morning! I have cooked and baked with alcohol before and enjoy the flavors!
This is definiatly on my to make list; in fact I will be making it for New year’s eve party. Would love to try making it in the pan from day 8 or 9. I have used alcohol in different dishes from Rum balls to Jack mac and cheese. Thank you for giving me this recipe to add to my collection.
Looks like a great recipe for a New Years Eve celebration with the adults, my previous experiences cooking with alcohol never did so well, but this recipe looks like it’s worth a try, thank you.
This is definitely on my list of recipes to try!! It looks like a great Chrristmas bread sort of like a modern day fruitcake. We’ll see how it goes
I’ve not made this, BUT it is on my list. Yes, I make rum cakes ALL the time (and add more rum minus water) and made Spike Eggnog cake just two weeks ago which had bourbon in it!
I love ginger flavor, but not a whiskey fan, so I might try with omitting the whiskey. I’m not sure of a good substitute though!
I’ve never tried baking a rye bread before. This one looks like it might be worth taking a chance on though if you can eliminate the whiskey and the raisins. I’m not a fan of alcohol tastes in any of my baking
It’s not actually rye bread. I like golden raisins but the whiskey idea doesn’t appeal to me. Maybe hard cider instead.