april 20, 2022

I dedicate this cake to my friend Jeannie Boisineau of Superior Creamery and Confections. Her weekly bake box  recently included potato chip chocolate chip cookies, which combine the two most important food groups :  potato and chocolate. Brilliant, and bravo, Jeannie.

Bittersweet Chocolate Almond Tart contains shreds of bright green zucchini and this equally bittersweet cake has shredded russet potato for textural interest. See a trend here? Surprisingly, a  more nutritious dessert containing veggies for a more complete breakfast. Or dinner. Or dessert.

You will like the ease of preparation for this decadent dessert. Grate russet potatoes and let them stand, melt butter with chocolate. Add eggs, extra dark cocoa and sugar.  Moreover, the melting pan functions as your main mixing bowl, so clean up is snappier.  Line your baking dish with greased parchment for quick release. Make the frosting, sprinkle flaky sea salt and voila.

I let the russet potato shreds darken at least 2 hours. Chiefly, this action is purely for aesthetics because using them freshly grated means seeing white strands in your deeply dark cake. This cake freezes; the salt flakes may mostly melt, but flavor remains.

Salted Chocolate Potato Cake

recipe by Michele Humlan, The Good Eats Company

makes 8 servings

ingredients

12 ounce russet potato (one large), peeled
one stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter
3.5 ounce bittersweet chocolate bar, 72% best, chopped coarsely
½ cup dutch process (extra dark) cocoa powder
¾ cup dark brown sugar
2 large eggs at room temperature
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
large flaky sea salt, like Maldon

directions

1. About 2 hours ahead of time, shred potato with large holes of grater and let stand in nonreactive glass or stainless steel bowl; shreds will darken like strong tea; drain and proceed with recipe.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. In heavy medium saucepan, melt bittersweet chocolate bar with stick of butter over low heat, stirring and watching to avoid simmering or burning; set aside to briefly cool.
4. Grease 8 inch cake pan with cooking spray, line with round piece of parchment, spray parchment.
5. Whisk cocoa and dark brown sugar into melted chocolate mixture, then add eggs one at a time, whisking well, then salt and vanilla.
6. Add drained and darkened potato shreds and pour into prepared pan.
7. Bake for 30 minutes; let cool in pan 30 minutes, then invert onto serving dish to cool completely at room temperature.
8. In same saucepan (rinsed and dried) or smaller pan, melt chocolate chips with 4 tablespoons butter over low heat, stirring and watching carefully.
9. Pour frosting glaze over cooled cake.
10. When frosting begins to lose its shiny sheen, sprinkle sea salt flakes over surface.
11. Best served at room temperature; will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week and may be frozen; if cake has been in the refrigerator or freezer, salt flakes may melt but flavor will remain.