Chocolate cake with caramel icing

I’d heard of baking cakes using vegetables such as beetroot, carrot and even zucchini, but never in my life had I come across a recipe like this. It uses potato, and while I was initially skeptical about this, I was pleasantly surprised at how moist this cake came out to be.

Serves 12.

Ingredients

FOR THE CAKE

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 cup cold mashed potatoes (without added milk and butter)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup baking cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped

FOR THE CARAMEL ICING

• 1/2 cup butter, cubed
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup evaporated milk
• 2 cups icing sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method

1. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add 1 egg at a time, beating well after each addition. Add potatoes and vanilla.
2. Combine flour, cocoa and baking soda; gradually add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition. Stir in nuts.
3. Pour into two greased and floured 23cm round baking pans. Bake at 180C until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean, 25-30 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
4. For icing, in a saucepan over low heat, cook butter and brown sugar until butter is melted and mixture is smooth. Stir in evaporated milk; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat; cool to room temperature. Stir in icing sugar and vanilla until smooth.
5. Spread icing between layers and over top of cake.