Tomato Soup Cake

I created the blog. Now i’ve just got to start blogging. I’ve been hesitant to start blogging, I was nervous because I feel this first blog post sets the tone for the rest of the posts to come. The days went on… and the baked goods kept being baked- with no posts to show for them on baking and me! I decided though I just need to start blogging and stop worrying about what to write- Its just (hopefully) going to come for me. So I then started debating what food to make first on baking and me. Would it be cookies? cake? pie? bars? loaf? Here we have it Tomato Soup Cake! Sounds disgusting right?! Probably not the best way to start off my blog- shouldn’t I have started with something like ‘apple pie’ or ‘chocolate cookies’? I find it funny I ended up making Tomato Soup Cake as my first blog post. Let me first give you some history on this cake- this cake was popular in the 1950’s after being promoted by Campbell’s.

I made this cake for a lunch visit with my grandparents. I love visiting with them- my grandmother is a very smart lady- she left home and went to New York City to become a nurse at a young age, which was a rarity back then 😉 – she always has pieces of advice and wisdom to pass down to my brother and I.

To be honest I wouldn’t make this cake again- let me explain why… Its a delicious cake don’t get me wrong- I would describe the cake as a ginger cake/spice cake. I think a cake like this is more of a novelty make one time because of the tomato soup in the batter. Its a interesting dish to try and make once just cause… I frosted this cake with cream cheese icing! Feel free to experiment and try other frostings and let me know below how they turn out below. I find that the Tomato Soup offers a unique moistness to the cake which was interesting. Thanks for reading my first post of many to come!  I hope your having a great summer so far! Were in the dog days right now! Also don’t mind my photos this is my first food photography- so I am still learning- leave me any tips and tricks below hehe!

Tomato Soup Cake (Mystery Cake) 

From Joy of Cooking 

Makes a 9 inch cake pan

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon cloves
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 can of condensed tomato soup: 10 1/2 oz
• Optional: 1 cup raisins

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350. Grease and flour a 9 inch round cake pan. In a medium bowl mix the flour with the salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and baking soda. In another bowl cream together butter and sugar. Next in 3 parts stir the flour into the butter/sugar mixture, alternating between flour and soup. Make sure to stir the batter until smooth after each addition. If your adding in raisins fold them in now. Pour batter into the greased pan and bake in the preheated oven for about 40 to 45 minutes- Or until a tooth pick is inserted and comes out clean. When the cake is cooled you can either eat- sprinkled with powder sugar or you can frost it with a cream cheese icing.

Cream Cheese Icing 

•  4 oz cream cheese (about 8 tbsp)
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Beat all ingredients together until smooth. Spread over cooled cake.