I fell in love with potato-based treats during a vacation to the Canadian Maritimes last summer. A tourist brochure in our little beach house contained a recipe for a beautiful potato cake, which I eagerly transformed into a vegan-friendly dessert using Russet Potatoes from a local produce stand. While last year’s recipe focused on the addition of raspberry preserves, this recipe for One Green Planet is even more decadent with the help of a rich, chocolate ganache.

Chocolate Potato Cake [Vegan]

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Ingredients

Cake 

  • 1 cup of mashed potatoes, no seasoning (use a baking potato, like russet)
  • 1 cup lukewarm water
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons instant coffee granules
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 3/4 cup vegan butter substitute, softened
  • 2 cups vegan refined sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
  • 1/2 cup vegan semisweet chocolate chips (optional)

Ganache 

  • 1/2 cup unsweetened soy milk
  • 1 1/2 cups vegan semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 tablespoon vegan butter substitute
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Preparation

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease two 8” round or three 6" round cake pans.
  2. Stir together the mashed potatoes and water in a small bowl.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, coffee granules, baking soda and salt.
  4. In a third bowl, mix the refined sugar and 3/4 cup of vegan butter substitute on low speed for 30 seconds.
  5. Add in the vanilla and the applesauce and continue to mix until just combined.
  6. Increase the speed of your mixer to medium/high and slowly add in the dry ingredients and the potato water, alternating between the two until all ingredients are well combined.
  7. Use a spoon to stir in the vinegar
  8. Pour the batter into the two cake pans. The batter will be thick, so use a spoon to spread it out evenly.
  9. Bake for 20 minutes, until a toothpick can be inserted and removed cleanly.
  10. While the cake cools, make the ganache by pouring the soy milk in a small sauce pan.
  11. Bring the soy milk to a boil then remove from heat immediately.
  12. Stir in the vegan butter substitute.
  13. Add the chocolate chips to the sauce pan and stir until they are fully melted.
  14. Let the ganache cool in the sauce pan. It will thicken as it cools.
  15. Once the cake and ganache have cooled, spread ganache between each layer of cake and pour the rest over the top.
  16. Top with chocolate chips.
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