I'd Rather be Baking Redux

Well now, I can't very well tell you guys how to bake banana bread and leave you hanging regarding that Pudding Bread, now can I? That would just be mean. So here it is:

Ingredients:
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 small package instant pudding mix*
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup Starter (recipe follows)
3/4 cup vegetable oil**
3 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped nuts -- optional

Method:
Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour two 9x5x3-inch loaf pans.

In a small bowl, mix together the 1/3 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon; set aside until later.

In a medium bowl, stir together flour, pudding mix, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

In a large bowl, mix starter, oil, eggs, milk, and vanilla until well blended. Stir in flour mixture until dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in nuts. Pour into prepared loaf pans. Sprinkle the top of each loaf with the sugar-cinnamon mixture.

Bake 35-45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Remove and cool completely on wire racks.

Yield: 2 loaves, or approximately 24 servings.

*The original recipe calls for vanilla pudding mix, but I've used Butterscotch and Chocolate mixes with tasty results...so be creative :)

**I've also deviated from the recipe by using 3/4 cups of butter softened or even melted. Now ask yourself - when has a recipe *not* been improved by using butter? ;)

For the Starter:

Ingredients***:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk

Method:
Day 1: Mix above ingredients in a large glass or ceramic bowl or jar, using a wooden or plastic spoon. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature. Refrigerate if room is very warm.
Days 2 to 5: Leave alone while mixture bubbles.
Day 6: Stir once.
Day 7: Combine above ingredients, then stir into the starter.
Days 8 to 9: Stir once each day.
Day 10: The starter is now ready to use for baking and/or giving away (which is why it is sometimes called "Friendship Starter". Feed with a mixture of the above ingredients before or after removing amount needed. Continue maintaining the remaining starter, stirring every day and feeding with above ingredients every fifth day.

NOTES : Always leave at least 1 cup of starter in the container. If you don't need an starter for baking or giving, you may have to take some out and discard it. This way you will always have a manageable amount of fresh starter. If you would rather not discard any, you may freeze it. Every thirty days or so, transfer your starter to a temporary container and thoroughly wash and scald the original container before returning the starter to it. If your starter has an unpleasant, doughy, or strong yeast smell, you may want to discard it and start again.

***Because this recipe makes quite a bit of starter, I've had good luck making it by halving all ingredients.