Recipe: Nana Harris' Chocolate Potato Cake and Fudge Frosting (1930's)

NANA HARRIS' CHOCOLATE POTATO CAKE

"This recipe came from a cookbook Nana wrote for her own use in 1934, except for the frosting, which I adapted from a fudge recipe." - Eve in Sacramento

1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter
3 eggs
1 cup mashed potatoes (Instant is okay, but Potato Buds do not work well. The cake is more moist if you use "real" mashed potatoes!)
1 cup sweet milk (I think Nana meant sweetened condensed milk. I have made it with both sweetened condensed and regular milk, and it turns out okay either way, but the cake is a little chewier and more brownielike with condensed milk.)
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup Ghirardelli's sweet powdered chocolate (Or you can also use melted chocolate chips. It turns out fine either way, but the powdered chocolate is easier to work with.)
1 cup of chopped walnuts, pecans, almonds, or macadamia nuts

Cream sugar, butter, and eggs together. Add mashed potatoes, milk, and vanilla.

Sift together flour, salt, baking powder, and powdered chocolate. Stir sifted ingredients into creamed mixture. Add nuts.

Pour into greased and floured 9-inch x 9-inch pan, and bake at 350 degrees F for about 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. When cool, frost with

EMEE'S FUDGE FROSTING

1 (12-ounce) package chocolate chips
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoons amaretto, Kahlua, or Bailey's Irish Cream liqueur

Mix together in heavy saucepan and stir over low heat until chocolate is completely melted. Let cool slightly and pour over cake.

Serve warm, topped with whipped cream. Any leftover frosting can be spread on shortbread cookies or ladyfingers and chilled for the next day's dessert.