Becky Low’s Kitchen Memories / Chocolate Potato Cake

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“Chocolate Potato Cake”

(also called Red Velvet Cake) This is an old family favorite, which dates back to Grandma’s youth. We always called it “Chocolate Potato Cake.” As a college student I found it to be very similar to a roommate’s touted ‘Red Velvet Cake.’ Regardless of what you call it, it’s a red tinted chocolate scratch cake with a moist texture and a luscious flavor. Red Velvet cake dates back to Victorian era, before cake mixes. The buttermilk, or sour milk, reacted with the cocoa and soda creating a red color. Food color, first from beets then commercially produced, added a deeper brighter red color typical of what we see today. The leavening effect of soda and acid is still a great way to make cakes from scratch today. Serves 16 Ingredients: 2 cups sugar 1 cup butter, softened 4 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 teaspoon food color, red (or more) 1 cup unseasoned mashed potatoes* 2 cups flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 cup buttermilk or sour milk (**see below) Method: Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter sides and bottom of a 9x13 cake pan (or three 8-inch cake pans); dust sides and bottom with flour, tamp out excess flour; Set aside. Cream or beat together sugar and butter; add eggs, vanilla and food color, beat well. Beat in mashed potatoes. In a separate bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, salt and cocoa. Alternating, add one-fourth the milk, then one-fourth the flour mixture to the butter egg/mixture, beating well after each addition. Continue until all flour and milk are mixed in. Spread cake batter evenly in prepared pan(s). Bake for 45 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean and the top springs back when lightly touched. To serve, drizzle with chocolate sauce, serve with cold milk or cream - or frost with favorite frosting.

Notes:

Becky Low’s Kitchen Memories / Chocolate Potato Cake

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* Use unseasoned mashed potatoes. Instant potatoes work well for this recipe (prepare according to package directions). If fresh potatoes are used, be sure to whip well or mash out all lumps. ** Years ago cooks would allow fresh milk to sour naturally for use in recipes. Today (for food safety and speed) use cultured buttermilk or stir 1-tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar to 1-cup milk.