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1
In a 1-gallon glass jar with a wide mouth and lid, combine the peaches, pineapple, maraschino cherries, sugar and yeast (make sure the yeast is well mixed with syrup).
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2
Stir mixture two times the first day.
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3
Stir once a day afterward.
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4
Do not refrigerate this mixture.
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5
Keep loosely covered.
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6
Two weeks after starting the starter, add 1/2 cup peaches and 1/2 cup pineapple with syrup.
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7
Wait for several days, stirring daily, and drain 2 cups of mixed fruit and use to make cake as directed in the cake recipe.
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8
Reserve 1 1/2 cups starter juice and leave in glass gallon jar.
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9
Count this as Day One, and start the process for renewing the starter and making the cake.
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10
DAY 1: To reserved 1 1/2 cups starter juice (or to starter juice given you by a friend), add 2 1/2 cups sugar and a 2-lb can of peaches with syrup.
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11
Stir daily.
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12
Keep loosely covered.
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13
Do not refrigerate.
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14
DAY 10: Add 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar, a 2 pound can pineapple chunks with juice.
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15
Stir daily.
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16
Keep loosely covered.
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17
Do not refrigerate.
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18
DAY 20: Add 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar and 8 to 10 oz drained and halved maraschino cherries.
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19
Stir daily.
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20
Keep loosely covered.
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21
Do not refrigerate.
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22
DAY 30: Drain fruit, reserving 1 1/2 cups juice for renewing starter.
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23
Use drained fruit to make 3 cakes (see recipe), give excess starter juice to friends, and start a new batch of fruit (repeat aforementioned process).
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24
At the end of 30 days, you will have enough excess starter juice to give to about four friends.
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25
Be sure to keep enough juice (1 1/2 cups) for your own starter.
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26
At the end of 30 days, there will be enough fruit to use 1 3/4 cups fruit in each cake, which makes the cake better and doesn't waste the fruit.
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27
The cakes can be frozen.
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28
It is not necessary to bake all three cakes the same day, but stir the remaining fruit mixture every day until it is used (this fruit mixture can be refrigerated until used).
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29
The drained fruit can be frozen until you are ready to bake the cakes.
