Tomato Soup Cake

Tomato soup…in cake? Yes! This old fashioned spice cake recipe has stood the test of time. This tomato soup cake is frosted with cream cheese frosting.

Spice cakes are one of my favorite kinds of cakes. Some have molasses, some are gingerbread flavored, but all are delicious.

When I came across this tomato soup cake recipe in an old cookbook from the 1950s, I just wasn’t sure. I read that it tasted like a spice cake. But tomatoes…in cake? If you like spice cake and don’t mind trying new things, give this unique mystery cake a try.

What does tomato soup cake taste like?

Spice cake! It has a lightly sweet, deep flavor. The nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves all help that spice cake flavor to come out. Tomato soup is the secret ingredient that no one will believe.

Where did tomato soup originate?

Tomato soup is a recipe from the Depression era in the 1930’s. Tomato soup was an ingredient to replace milk and butter in the original recipe. Over time the recipe has changed and this one is closer to the Campbell’s tomato soup recipe.

How do you make tomato soup cake?

• This cake bakes in a 9×13 cake pan. Be sure to spray it with cooking spray so the cake does not stick.
• Use a stand mixer or electric hand mixer so that the ingredients come together easily. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the beater blade, cream together the butter and the sugar.
• The last addition of the cake is to add the soup, raisins and walnuts.
• The cake will take about 28-30 minutes to bake. The center of the cake should spring back when you touch it.

Frosting for Tomato Soup Cake

We used a cream cheese frosting for this cake because that is what we like on spice cakes. I’ve seen recipes for tomato soup cake with caramel frosting. Those sound amazing too! You could try this caramel frosting recipe.

Does cake with cream cheese frosting need refrigerated?

Yes. You should refrigerate cakes with cream cheese frosting. You can remove the cake from the fridge up to 2 hours before serving to bring it to room temperature.

How long does cake last?

If you seal this cake well, it should stay fresh in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. Remember that cake is normally best when served within 24 hours of baking.

The cake also freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.

Tomato Soup Cake

4.60 from 49 votes

Tomato soup…in cake? Yes! This old fashioned spice cake recipe has stood the test of time. This tomato soup cake is frosted with cream cheese frosting.

Servings 15

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

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Ingredients

 

For the cake:

• ¼ cup salted butter (room temperature)
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 can condensed tomato soup (do not dilute) (10.75 ounces)
• ½ cup chopped walnuts
• 1 cup raisins

For the frosting:

• ½ cup salted butter (room temperature)
• 8 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
• ½ cup chopped walnuts for sprinkling on top (optional)

Instructions

 

Make the cake:

• Spray a 9×13 baking pan with cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 350º Fahrenheit.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer with the beater blade (or a large bowl with an electric mixer) cream together the butter and the sugar.
• Add in the eggs and mix well.
• Add in the flour, baking soda, baking powder and spices. Mix well.
• Lastly, add in the soup, walnuts and raisins. Mix until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
• Pour the batter into the baking pan and bake for 28-30 minutes or until the center of the cake tests done.
• Allow the cake to cool on a wire rack before frosting.

Make the frosting:

• In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, cream cheese and vanilla (using a hand or stand mixer) until smooth.
• Add in the powdered sugar and beat until smooth.

Assemble the cake:

• Use a rubber spatula to spread the cream cheese frosting over the cooled cake.
• Sprinkle with walnuts.
• Store any leftover cake in the refrigerator in a sealed container.

Video

Notes

Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks.

The calories shown are based on the cake being cut into 15 pieces, with 1 serving being 1 slice of cake. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. The information in the nutrition box are calculated through a program and there is room for error. If you need an accurate count, I recommend running the ingredients through your favorite nutrition calculator.**

Nutrition

Calories: 357kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 281mg | Potassium: 282mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 601IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 1mg

Author Julie Clark

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Calories 357

Keyword 9×13 cake, buttermilk spice cake, raisin cake

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