Mashed Potato Spice Cake With Caramel Frosting

This is from the Southern Saratoga Women's Club cookbook.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 10-12

Ingredients

• 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

• Caramel Frosting

• 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

Directions

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.