Mashed Potato Spice Cake With Caramel Frosting

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 10
• 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 5 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon clove
• 1 cup butter or 1 cup margarine, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup mashed potatoes
• 4 egg yolks, slightly beaten
• 4 egg whites
• 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
• 1 cup raisins
• 3/4 cup maraschino cherry, drained and coarsely chopped
• 3/4 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 8 pecan halves

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 350°f.
• 2 grease and flour two 9-inch layer pans.
• 3 sift flour with cocoa, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and cloves.
• 4 in large bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat butter with sugar, potato, and egg yolks until light and fluffy.
• 5 at low speed, gradually beat in flour mixture.
• 6 at hight speed, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.
• 7 with whisk or rubber scraper, fold egg whites into flour mixture.
• 8 stir in nuts, raisins and cherries.
• 9 turn into pans.
• 10 bake 40 minutes.
• 11 let stand 1 minute before turning out to cool.
• 12 for caramel frosting:.
• 13 melt butter in medium saucepan.
• 14 remove from heat.
• 15 add brown sugar, stirring until smooth.
• 16 over low heat, bring to boiling, stirring.
• 17 boil, stirring one minute.
• 18 remove from heat.
• 19 add milk.
• 20 over low heat, return just to boiling.
• 21 remove from heat and cool to 100°f on candy thermometer.
• 22 (bottom of pan will feel lukewarm.).
• 23 to cool quickly, set pan in ice cubes.
• 24 gradually add confectioners sugar.
• 25 beat at low speed until blended inches.
• 26 beat at high speed until frosting holds its shape - about 30 to 60 seconds.
• 27 add vanilla.
• 28 spread half on bottom layer of cake, letting it drip down sides.
• 29 place second layer on cake.
• 30 spread remaining frosting, allowing it to drip down sides.
• 31 swirl top of cake with back of spoon.
• 32 arrange pecans on top of cake.