My Polish Italian kitchen is transformed into an Irish one for St. Patrick’s Day. On the menu is Irish soda bread with steaming cups of brewed tea for breakfast. Corned beef and cabbage is braising in the oven. All the dessert ingredients are lined up on the counter; butter, melted chocolate and warm mashed potatoes for Irish Chocolate Potato Cake.

Irish Chocolate Potato Cake

8 tablespoons butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

One and a half ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted

Half cup mashed potatoes

Half cup sour milk

1 cup flour

Half teaspoon baking powder

One quarter teaspoon baking soda

One eighth teaspoon salt

Half teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch nutmeg

In a large bowl cream the butter and sugar. Add eggs and beat well. Stir in the melted chocolate and mashed potatoes. Mix until smooth. Pour a scant cup of warm milk into a measuring cup. Add about a half tablespoon of white vinegar to make a half cup of sour milk. Stir or sift together the dry ingredients and add alternately to the potato mixture with the sour milk. Mix until smooth. Coat a 9-inch cake pan with vegetable oil spray. Pour in the cake batter. Bake the cake in a 350-degree oven for 35 minutes. When the cake is done invert onto a wire rack to cool.

Chocolate Butter Frosting

2 tablespoons butter

1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, melted

One and a half cups confectioners’ sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Pinch salt

2 to 3 tablespoons hot coffee

Beat all ingredients together, gradually adding enough hot coffee to make a spreadable frosting.