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by Alea Milham 15 Comments
This old-fashioned tomato soup cake recipe tastes like a spice cake. You can cook this vintage cake recipe in a loaf pan or in a cake pan.
First let me say, this cake tastes much better than it sounds! This recipe originated in the late 1920s or early 1930s. It was enormously popular throughout the depression as it is made without using eggs or butter.
Tomato Soup Cake was sometimes called Mystery Cake and a game was made of making first-time eaters guess the secret ingredient. It has a delightfully spicy flavor, making it almost impossible to discern that it is made with tomato soup.
This recipe was passed down to me by my mom. This is the cake recipe that I associate with my mom because she has been making it every year during the holidays for as long as I can remember. While Tomato Soup Cakes have been around for years, my mom is the only one I know who makes it in a loaf pan. Most people make it in cake pans, a 9×13 pan, or a bundt cake pan. If you don’t cook it in a bread loaf pan, you will have to alter the cooking time.
If you don’t have a can of condensed tomato soup, you can use this recipe for Condensed Tomato Soup Substitute.
More Depression Cake Recipes
Chocolate Depression Cake Recipe
Vanilla Depression Cake Recipe
Tomato Soup Cake Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 can condensed tomato soup (10 3/4 ounces) (Condensed Tomato Soup Substitute)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 cups flour**
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon cloves
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
- 1 cup raisins or dried cranberries (optional)
Directions:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar and vegetable shortening. Add the cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and condensed tomato soup to the mixing bowl and stir until all of the ingredients are fully combined.
- Slowly add the flour to the mixing bowl in half cup increments, stirring well after each addition to ensure all of the flour is fully combined. Add baking powder, baking soda, the walnuts, and raisins to the mixing bowl. Continue stirring until all ingredients are fully incorporated into the batter.
- Pour the cake batter into a greased loaf pan. Bake at 350F for about 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes before removing the cake from the pan.
- Once it is cooled you can top it with cream cheese frosting or serve it plain. I leave it plain if I am planning on packing it in lunches and top it with frosting if I will be serving it to guests.
**You canusethisGluten Free Cake Flour to make this recipe gluten-free.
When the cake is cool, frost it with the Cream Cheese Frosting recipe below or, if you wish, slice it and serve it plain.
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients:
- 3-ounce package of Philadelphia Cream Cheese
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
Directions:
Put all ingredients in mixing bowl and mix together until the right consistency to spread on cake.
Printable Tomato Soup Cake Recipe
4.8 from 4 reviews
Tomato Soup Cake
Prep time
Cook time
Author: Alea
Recipe type: Dessert
Serves: 12
Ingredients
- ½ cup vegetable shortening or lard
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 - 10¾ oz. can condensed tomato soup (Condensed Tomato Soup Substitute)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 cups all-purpose flour ( use gluten-free all-purpose flour to make this gluten-free)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp cloves
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
Directions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar and vegetable shortening. Add the cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and condensed tomato soup to the mixing bowl and stir until all of the ingredients are fully combined.
- Slowly add the flour to the mixing bowl in half cup increments, stirring well after each addition to ensure all of the flour is fully combined. Add baking powder, baking soda, and the walnuts to the mixing bowl. Continue stirring until all ingredients are fully incorporated into the batter.
- Pour the cake batter into a greased loaf pan. Bake at 350F for about 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes before removing the cake from the pan
More Cake Recipes
Vanilla Depression Cake Recipe
Chocolate Depression Cake Recipe
Vanilla Bundt Cake with Berry Topping
Brown Sugar Pecan Coffee Cake with Chai Spices
Easy Mocha Fudge Bundt Cake with Mocha Fudge Glaze
About Alea Milham
Alea Milham is the owner of Premeditated Leftovers and the author of Prep-Ahead Meals from Scatch. She shares her tips for saving money and time while reducing waste in her home. Her favorite hobby, gardening, is a frugal source of organic produce for her recipes. She believes it is possible to live fully and eat well while spending less.
Comments
Nonna says
does anyone know if you could substitute oil for the lard? If so would it me more or less moist? I am so anxious to make it!
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Deborah says
My Grandma would make this every Sunday for as long as I can remember. I am 73 now. She used to call it a war cake. Because they were only allowed so much of everything to cook with. Still my favorite cake. Blessings
Reply
Patricia L Larson says
I’ve made this cake dozens of times people can’t wait till i make it .I used to watch my mom make it, no eggs in it. It’s good for company when you don’t have any dessert. Frost it with a thin coating of butter frosting ,serve with coffee yummmmm. Enjoy
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