As a relatively young branch of the CWA, the Bindoon Belles have made several names for ourselves. We’re known for our events (our beloved Op Shop Ball, Bogan Bingo, and kid’s discos), supporting our community and groups (donations to families in need and fundraising for fabulous causes), and supporting and befriending new mums to the area and encouraging them to get involved in the community.
What we’re not known for are the more ‘traditional’ skills attributed to the CWA, e.g., cooking and craft. That’s not to say we don’t have some very talented members, but our forte tends to lie elsewhere. So, when invited to participate in the Home, Craft, and Garden Day hosted by the Bindoon-Chittering CWA, we were excited but held realistic expectations. There was a good chance the other branches were going to kick our butts, but we were okay with that because participation is the fun part.
When deciding what to submit, we tried to think outside the box. The theme was utilising home grown produce and we wanted our entries to stand out. In the cookery section we had to submit a relish or chutney, a jam or marmalade, and a loaf cake with fruit or vegetables. Our secretary, Dianne, provided a lovely brinjal (aubergine) relish, and I had some lilly pilly jam that I hoped would pass muster. As for the cake, what could meet the requirements but be different enough to stand out?
Enter stage left, the chocolate potato cake! One of my favourite influencers, Dylan Hollis, shares vintage recipes and his most famous is the chocolate potato cake from 1912. I’d never made it, but I had a handful of small potatoes dug from a pot that were too small for a meal but enough for the cake.
The cake turned out beautifully and scored 17/20 on the day. My jam got us 8.5/10 and the brinjal relish 8/10. Which, surprisingly to everyone, including us, gave us first place in the cookery section!
Chocolate Potato Cake
INGREDIENTS
- 1 large potato (or enough small ones to make ¾ cup mashed)
- 120 ml milk
- 115 g softened butter
- 200 g sugar
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 140 g plain flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- 80 g dark chocolate, grated
- 60 g chopped walnuts
For icing: - 2 tbsp softened butter
- 200 g sugar
- 60 ml milk
- 80 g dark chocolate
- ½ tsp vanilla
METHOD
- Preheat oven to 180 C and grease and flour a 20 x 20 cm square pan or large loaf pan.
- Chop and boil the potato, keeping skin on. When tender, drain and mash in a small bowl, then add in the milk.
- In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar and then add in beaten eggs.
- Add the milk and potato mixture to the creamed mixture and beat well.
- In a separate bowl, mix in flour, spices, and baking powder and then fold this into wet ingredients.
- Mix in the grated chocolate and walnuts. Bake for 45-50 minutes, then col in pan for 10 minutes before turning onto wire rack.
- In a saucepan on medium heat, combine butter, sugar, milk, and chocolate and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
- Add the vanilla and beat the icing with a whisk or hand mixer until cooled and thickened. Spread or pour onto cooled cake.
