Amish Friendship Bread...is not my friend

I mentioned in my Thanksgiving post that erin's mom had shared Amish Bread with all of us. On top of that she also picked me as one of the "pass along" friends to continue the recipe.
I was super excited to try it and when you pass it along it comes with a page of instructions as well (i linked the recipe above because it also explains where the tradition originated).

In true fashion when it came to add in the next ingredients (you spend a few days just stirring the starter up) I wanted to try and make it a bit more healthy.

On Day 10 you:

Add 1 cup flour (I used whole wheat)

1 cup sugar (splenda)

1 cup milk.

Stir. Take out 3 cups and place 1 cup each into three separate plastic containers. Give one cup and a copy of this recipe to three friends. To the balance (a little over one cup) of the batter, add the following ingredients and mix well.

1 cup oil (applesauce)

1/2 cup milk

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

In a separate bowl combine the following dry ingredients and mix well:
2 cups flour (1/2 wheat and 1/2 white)

1 cup sugar

1-1/2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 - (5.1 oz) box instant vanilla pudding (the only thing I had was Fat free/sugar free)

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup nuts (omitted, erin doesn't like nuts in bread)
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Mix and pour into two well greased and sugared bread pans. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour.

Okay so...didn't turn out as good as Mrs. K's. I think that too many substitutions and primarily the whole wheat flour caused it to be a bit dense. The flavor was okay but it just didn't seem to have the airiness that I think it needed.

Also in full disclosure I didn't use a ceramic bowl which the recipe clearly calls for!

I think i may have messed a bit too much with this one. I ended up freezing one of the loafs to take home for Christmas (it turns out my brother is a HUGE fan of this bread). I think I will see what they all of think of it as well.

At least friendships don't end over crappy bread!!

(oh and by the way I chose not to pass this one along...:)