Onion and Cheddar Mashed Potato Cakes Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why do my mashed potato cakes fall apart? ›

If the potato cakes are falling apart because they are too wet it might not have enough flour. Troubleshoot this by adding more flour 1 tablespoon at a time until you get a better consistency, the mixture should be somewhat wet and will have a slight stickiness but you also don't want it falling apart.

If the potato pancakes are falling apart while you're shaping them before you start cooking, they are either either too wet or they need more flour to hold them together. You can also mix the flour a little more the mix to develop gluten and then let it rest before cooking.

If you find that your potato pancakes often come out too soggy, a lack of heat is the most likely culprit.

After peeled or grated potatoes are exposed to air they will begin to turn gray or brown. This appearance can be off-putting, but the good news is that the quality of the potato isn't compromised. This is a harmless natural reaction and it is perfectly fine to cook and eat potatoes even if they have turned gray.

Hold it Together.

Thoroughly squeezing the moisture out of the shredded potatoes prior to cooking is how you keep potato pancakes from falling apart.

Adding egg yolks to a pot of mashed potatoes is an easy, dairy-free texture and taste upgrade that doesn't require any special techniques. The yolks harbor all the flavorful fats and emulsifying components and will thus effectively unify the fat and water in potatoes, translating to a smoother, uniformly creamy pot.

Instead of regular milk, pro chefs generally use a generous helping of buttermilk and plenty of half-and-half or (even better) heavy cream in their potatoes. If you think the bartenders up front are pouring heavy, they've got nothing on the cooks in the back who are in charge of the mashed potatoes.

Simply Potatoes Traditional Mashed Potatoes are made with fresh, never frozen potatoes, real milk and butter for an even more rich and delicious taste.

The main way we combat this problem is by rinsing away starch, both before and after cooking potatoes for fluffy mashed potatoes. Rinsing off starch means that there is less of it that can end up in the dish. When breaking down the potatoes, it's important to take care not to "overwork" them.

*If you refrigerate the batter for later use, sprinkle the entire surface with flour. When you're ready to begin frying the latkes, skim off the flour with a large spoon and discard. *For crisper latkes, fry in very hot oil and turn only once.

How do bakeries get their cakes so moist? ›

Simply toast and butter our Potato Cakes for a quick and easy filling snack or breakfast. Serve as soldiers with boiled eggs or with a full cooked meal for an unusual breakfast treat, or for a filling snack or quick and easy meal on the run, top with baked beans and cheese. When toasting, toast to a light golden brown.

When your latkes are perfectly golden and ready to take out of the pan, move them to a 200°F oven. This step will keep the latkes crisp while frying the rest of your batch.

Overbeating can add too much additional air and/or large air bubbles which the cake can't support, causing it to collapse in the oven. Beat your butter and sugar gradually at medium to medium-high speed. Don't beat too aggressively; creaming can't be rushed, as the air needs to be incorporated gradually.

Cakes crumble because they've dried out too much. From years of baking, I know that dry cakes happen for one of two reasons; using too much of your dry ingredients or over-baking your cake.

To further prevent potatoes from falling apart, try using waxy potato varieties like red potatoes or Yukon Gold. These types tend to hold their shape better when boiled. Additionally, avoiding overcooking and handling them gently when straining will help maintain their integrity.