Potato Wet Chocolate L'Orange Pound Cake

Note from Cheri: The Idaho Potato Commission was kind enough to share the recipe for this delicious dessert. While you may think it unusual to make a cake with mashed potatoes, you'll find that it makes for a very moist and delicious difference. This is also a fun way to use up leftovers.

Cake 3 cups sugar 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter or margarine, softened 3 cups all purpose flour 1 8oz. container sour cream 1 large potato cooked and mashed (see below) 1/2 cup unsweetened orange juice 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa 1 tsp. baking soda 2 tsp. orange extract 1/4 tsp. salt 5 large eggs Mashed Potatoes (if you don't already have leftovers) 1 large Idaho potato, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks (about 5 cups chunks) 1/3 cup milk, heated 1/2 T butter salt and pepper to taste Cream Cheese Icing 3 oz. cream cheese, softened 2 T milk 2 cups confectioner's sugar 1 tsp. vanilla extract raspberries for garnish

Serves 16 Prepare mashed potatoes (if you're using leftover potatoes, skip to the next paragraph now) by placing the cut potatoes in a small pot with enough water to completely cover. Cook for 13-15 minutes or until very tender. Drain water and return cooked potatos to pot and stir over medium heat, about 1 minute or until excess water has evaporated. Remove from heat. With a potato masher (or with an electric hand mixer) mash in butter, hot milk and salt and pepper. Beat until you get a smooth consistency. About 4 hors before serving, or early in the day, preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 10 inch tube pan. Using an electric mixer at low speed, beat sugar with butter or margarine just until blended. Increase speed to high and beat an additional 3 minutes or until light and fluffy, scraping bowl frequently with rubber spatula. Reduce speed to low and add flour, sour cream, mashed potatoes, cocoa, orange juice, baking soda, extract and eggs. Beat until well blended, constantly scraping bowl. Increase speed to high and beat for 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool cake on a wire rack for 15 minutes. With a spatula, loosen cake from pan, turn pan upside down and remove cake and place on rack to cool completely. Prepare Cream Cheese Icing In a small bowl, with mixer at low speed, beat cream cheese and milk until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Gradually beat in confectioner's sugar until well blended and with a good spreading consistency. Add additional milk if necessary. Transfer cooled cake to plate. Spread frosting over top of cooled cake.