Potato chocolate cake is one dessert recipe that I’ve never heard of—until now! Way back when in the olden days when money was scarce, potatoes were used in place of flour. It’s such an interesting concept—and a great way to use leftover mashed potatoes.

Potato Chocolate Cake

½ c. milk
3 squares unsweetened baker’s chocolate
1 c. shortening
1 ¾ c. sugar
1 c. hot mashed potatoes
4 eggs, separated
2 c. sifted cake flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
¼ c. sugar

Heat milk slowly in saucepan. Add chocolate, stir to melt. Cool.

Cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy.

Combine chocolate mixture with potatoes. Add to creamed mixture. Beat in egg yolks.

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt; stir into batter. Add vanilla.

Beat egg whites until stiff, adding the ¼ c. sugar gradually. Fold into batter. Pour into 3 greased waxed paper-lined 8” layer pans.

Bake in moderate oven (350 degrees) for 30 minutes. Cool and frost as desired.

Steamed Date Pudding

½ c. melted shortening
1 c. brown sugar, firmly packed
2 eggs, well beaten
1 ½ c. dates, pitted and chopped
1 ½ c. sifted flour
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. grated lemon rind
½ c. chopped black walnuts

Fluffy Hard Sauce **recipe below**

Combine shortening, brown sugar, and eggs; stir in dates.

Sift together dry ingredients. Fold into egg mixture with lemon rind and nuts. (If pudding seems dry, add 1 to 2 Tbsp. milk.) Fill 8 greased individual molds 2/3 full. Steam on rack (with 1” hot water) in covered kettle for 1 hour, or in pressure pan as directed by manufacturer.

Serve warm with Fluffy Hard Sauce. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Fluffy Hard Sauce

½ c butter or margarine
2 c. sifted confectioners sugar
1 egg yolk, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg white, beaten stiff

Cream butter; blend in sugar. Add egg yolk and vanilla; beat well.

Fold egg whites into creamed mixture. Serve at room temperature. Makes 1 2/3 cups.