Tomato Soup Cake

Step back in time with this Tomato Soup Cake, an old fashioned cake recipe that's a delightful combination of moist, spiced cake and tangy cream cheese frosting. It's simple to make with 15 minutes of prep time and so delicious, anyone can make this recipe successfully.

Tomato cake might sound unusual at first, but believe me, this vintage dessert is a delightful surprise. Similar in flavor and texture to a carrot cake, it combines the subtle sweetness of tomatoes with a moist spice cake and a tangy whipped cream cheese frosting. It's a unique treat that you're sure to love!

This cake with tomato soup truly is easy to assemble so that anyone can replicate the recipe flawlessly. If you love a great dessert recipe, don't worry we have so many to share! You should also try our Chocolate Loaf Cake, Zinger Cake, and Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake.

History of the Tomato Cake

The original recipe for tomato soup cake, often known as “Mystery Cake,” "Magic Tomato Soup Cake," or “Surprise Cake,” dates back to the Great Depression and World War II eras. During these times, home cooks had to be resourceful due to the scarcity of ingredients. They used what was readily available.

The soup added moisture, a subtle sweetness, and a rich color to the cake, while the spices masked any discernible tomato flavor. The tomato soup cake recipe gained popularity in the 1940s when it was promoted by the Campbell Soup Company, which published it on soup can labels and in promotional cookbooks.

This retro cake saw a resurgence in the 70s when it was shared by the great New England cook Dorothy Oliveira of Rehoboth in the Yankee Archives. She made her version in a loaf pan.

Why You'll Like This Recipe

• Unique Flavor: The mystery ingredient (tomato soup) adds a subtle sweetness and moisture, creating a deliciously unique dessert.
• Moist and Tender: The tomato and spices combine to create an incredibly moist, tender, delicious cake.
• Perfectly Balanced Frosting: The tangy cream cheese frosting complements the sweet, spiced cake beautifully.
• Easy to Customize: Add walnuts or pecans and/or raisins to this vintage recipe for added texture and sweetness. Garnish with candied nuts or an extra dusting of spices.

Ingredients

Scroll down to recipe card for exact ingredient amounts. 

Tomato Cake:

• Campbell's Soup Condensed Tomato: A can of tomato soup adds moisture and a subtle sweetness, acting as a secret ingredient that enhances the cake's flavor and texture.
• Salted Butter: Provides richness and helps create a tender crumb.
• Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the cake and helps with browning.
• Eggs: Bind the ingredients together and add structure.
• All-Purpose Flour: Forms the base of the cake, giving it structure.
• Baking Powder & Baking Soda: Help the cake rise and become fluffy.
• Spices (Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Allspice): Add warmth and depth, complementing the sweetness of the tomato.
• Salt: Enhances the flavors of the other ingredients.
• Vanilla Extract: Adds depth of flavor.
• Golden Raisins and Chopped Nuts (optional): Optional add-in ingredients to bring out the extra sweet and nutty flavors and texture.

Cream Cheese Icing:

• Cream Cheese: gives a richness and tanginess to the frosting, and it's the signature flavor that pairs so perfectly with sweet, spiced carrot cake 
• Powdered Sugar: adds just the right amount of sweetness to the frosting to compliment the tangy cream cheese
• Vanilla Extract: flavors the frosting and brings all of the flavors together
• Heavy Cream: gives the frosting a luxurious, velvety smooth texture

Tools You'll Need

• Measuring Cups and Spoons
• Spatula
• 2 8"x2" Round Cake Pans or 13x9 Baking Dish
• Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer
• Mixing Bowls
• Liquid Measuring Cups

How to Make Tomato Soup Cake

For the Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour or spray with non-stick cooking spray two 8-inch round cake pans or a 13"x9" pan.
2. For the dry ingredients, in a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt.

3. In a separate large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time.

4. Add the tomato soup and vanilla extract, mixing until well combined.

5. Gradually add the flour mixture into the tomato mixture, stirring until just combined. If adding raising, coat in ½ tablespoon flour, then gently fold in the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and spread evenly.

6. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
7. Spread half of the frosting on top of the first cake layer. Place the second layer on top, and frost the top.

To make the Cream Cheese Frosting:

1. Place cream cheese in a large bowl or stand mixer bowl. Whip the cream cheese on medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth and free of lumps.

2. Add powdered sugar. Mix on low speed until it's incorporated into the cream cheese, then increase the speed to medium high. Beat for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed.
3. Add vanilla extract and half of the heavy whipping cream. Mix on low speed until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the remaining heavy whipping cream. 
4. Whip the mixture on medium-low speed until incorporated, then increase the speed to medium-high. Beat until it takes shape and thickens. This should take about 1-2 minutes. Once the mixture holds a nice peak, it's done. Don't overmix as this can break the icing down.

Pro Tips and Substitutions

• Tomato Soup. Make sure to use condensed tomato soup, not ready-to-eat.
• Spice it up. Feel free to add other spices like ginger or cloves for extra warmth.
• Butter Substitute. If you only have unsalted butter on hand, you can use it in place of salted butter. In this case, add ¼ teaspoon salt to the batter.
• Nuts and raisins. Add chopped nuts or raisins to the batter for added texture and flavor.
• Use room temperature ingredients for frosting. This will give your frosting a smooth, even texture. If your ingredients are cold, they won't mix together as easily, resulting in a clumpy, uneven texture.
• Don't overmix cake batter or frosting. If you overmix your batter, your cake will come out dense and tough - it won't be light and spongy. If you overmix your frosting, you run the risk of it breaking and having a mealy texture.
• Bake a full-sized cake. Use this same recipe but skip the stack and spread! Just make a full-sized 13x9-inch cake instead - just as delicious and easily serves a crowd.
• Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting: The icing I use is a whipped, light cream cheese frosting. For a thicker, more set cream cheese buttercream, whip 8 ounces cream cheese, ½ cup butter together, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Once fluffy, mix in 3-4 cups powdered sugar in 1 cup increments, mixing until smooth between each addition and to your desired texture.

Storage and Freezing

Refrigerating and freezing the cake are both great options whether you want to make this cake in advance or just store any leftovers from a party.

Cover leftover cake with a cake taker top, tightly with plastic wrap, or in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator up to 5 days. Bring it to room temperature on the counter when you're ready to enjoy it.

You can bake the cake layers and freeze them for assembly at a later date. Simply bring them to room temperature then add your homemade frosting.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Old-Fashioned Desserts

• Strawberry Jam Cake
• Whipping Cream Pound Cake
• Chocolate Eclair Cake
• Texas Sheet Cake Bites