Chocolate Potato Cake is wonderfully moist and full of flavor. The pour-over frosting goes together quickly and tops the cake while it is still warm from the oven. Simple to prepare and easy to transport, this unique cake is sure to satisfy chocolate lovers and those looking for a sweet ending to a good meal.
Something Green for St. Patrick’s Day?
Can you believe it? It is already the Ides of March. It follows that it is only two days until St. Patrick’s Day. As ever, while I try to keep up with the calendar, I still find that I am falling behind.
Though I love to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, I’ve hardly given it a thought. Lately I’ve posted recipes for something green, as well as greens, but the Irish influence is still lacking. How can I tie an Irish theme into a family friendly dessert this year?
I woke up this morning determined to make a cake that would fit the occasion. While I have recipes at My Own Sweet Thyme for a Whiskey Cake, a Chocolate Stout Cake, and even some Triple Chocolate Guinness Brownies, they don’t meet my current requirement for a family friendly weeknight St. Patrick’s Day celebration. To find something else that included traditionally Irish ingredients, I reached for my recipe box. There I found a recipe I clipped years and years ago for a Chocolate Potato Cake.
Mashed Potato Cake with Pour-Over Frosting
This recipe makes a 9 X 13-inch cake. I generally serve it straight from the pan. The frosting is simple and easy to make. It is the kind that is poured over the top while the cake is still warm. If you have some leftover mashed potatoes (or have instant mashed potatoes on hand) this cake goes together fairly quickly. That makes it perfect for a special weeknight celebration. It is also easy to transport to a potluck, cookout or other friendly gathering.
Chocolate Potato Cake is moist and full of flavor. It is sure to satisfy chocolate lovers and those looking for a sweet ending to a good meal. It’s only shortcoming is that, as the frosting flows onto the cake, it fills in where it will. That means its appearance is often somewhat uneven, revealing every bump and bulge on the cake’s surface.
My response is to accessorize. When the frosting is partially set, I sprinkle the top of the cake with a thin line of emerald green decorator sugar. I think the effect is charming.
Enjoy!
Chocolate Potato Cake
Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy12
servings15
minutes55
minutes1
hour10
minutesMashed potatoes add a moist texture and a velvet crumb to this unique chocolate cake with pour-over frosting.
Ingredients
- Chocolate Cake:
2 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 eggs
3 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
3/4 cup firmly packed, unseasoned mashed potatoes
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 cup chopped pecans (if desired)
- Chocolate Frosting:
6 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/4 cup milk
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 2/3 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Generously grease a 13×9 inch baking pan. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda and salt.
- In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the sugar, butter and vanilla on high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Lower mixer speed and beat in the melted chocolate and mashed potatoes.
- Alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients and beating on low speed after each addition just until blended. Fold in the pecans, if desired.
- Spread batter evenly in the prepared pan, smoothing the top.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 55 minutes or until the cake springs back when touched in the center and begins to pull away from the sides of the pan. Remove the pan to a wire rack to cool.
- Meanwhile, prepare the Chocolate Frosting:
In a small bowl combine the cocoa powder and Confectioners’ sugar. Set aside. - Melt the butter in a small heavy saucepan over low heat. Add the milk. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer gently for 2 minutes.
- Pour the milk mixture into the sugar mixture, whisking until smooth. Stir in the vanilla.
- When the cake has cooled 15 minutes, pour the frosting evenly over top. Smooth the surface with a spatula and decorate as desired. Let the cake stand at least 1 hour before cutting into squares.
I made this cake and the whole family loved it. No one guessed potatoes were involved
Hi, Katrina. Thanks for stopping by to share your experience. I think the potatoes quietly make the cake moist and delicious. I’m glad to hear that your family enjoyed it!
This looks so good.
This sounds very good and very interesting, I would so give this chocolate dream a try.
You know, I've read about potato rolls and even potato-based Depression-era candy, and been very intrigued. . .but never potato cake! The texture looks incredibly light–was it? Or more fudgy? Either way, I'm sure I'd be happy eating a huge hunk of this.
Oh it's perfect for the holiday!
perfect homage to the land of ire, lisa! i must say that while the cake looks great, the icing has stolen my focus–it must be amazing!
Now I have used leftover mashed potatoes to make potato cakes or donuts but this one tops all. I will save this for when I have more leftover tatties! Great recipe Lisa.
Wow – this looks stellar Lisa. I'm craving a piece right this second!
this would make my st. patrick's day much more enjoyable! it looks delicious!
i am suddenly craving chocolate in a very big way.