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 can use this Gluten 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
Tomato Soup Cake
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup vegetable shortening or lard
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 - 10 3/4 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
Instructions
- 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
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!
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
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
Donna Alpaugh says
My father got the recipe for this cake from an old Frenchman he worked with on the railroad. It was a holiday staple in my family when I was young, and I try to make it at least once a year. Most people say “YUCK!” when I mention it, but really like it when I make it.
Jacqueline says
With or without the icing is really spicey
Evelyn says
I have made this cake for over 48 years. My husband called it a “Husband Cake”, why, I don’t know, but it was his favorite lunch cake. I have made this for others but did not tell them it was a tomato soup cake until after they ate it. Then they couldn’t believe it…it is so moist…
Conitchewa says
I wanted to say as well, we add raisins not nuts too….
Conitchewa says
This is a family recipe of ours too, from the depression era. A family favorite. We normally dont tell people its a “tomato soup cake” until they’ve tried it. Its basically a spice cake. We always serve it iced with a simple Coffee flavored icing. Yum!
Emma says
My grandma used to make this cake except her recipe had raisins and no nuts. In my opinions it really needs the raisins for extra moisture.
Iris says
What a strange idea! I kind of want to try it just to see how it is!
ButterYum says
I've come across this recipe many times over the years, most recently in the new baking cookbook Rose's Heavenly Cakes. I've never made it, but I suppose I will at some point.
🙂
ButterYum
SnoWhite says
what a cool cake! Thanks for the recipe — I might have to give it a try sometime.
The Quintessential Magpie says
That's very interesting! What a neat story, and it sounds intriguing to me. I might give it a whirl!
Happy Foodie Friday…
XO,
Sheila 🙂
Alea says
LOL! I know it does sound weird, but you really can't taste the tomato soup.
Rae says
Oh my goodness, that sounds so disgusting I have to try it just to prove myself wrong! Recipes like this really intrigue me – thanks for sharing!