So what was for dessert last night? Tomato Soup Cake with Roasted Walnut and Cream Cheese Frosting. Now for those of you who have never heard of Tomato Soup Cake, you can stop wrinkling your nose right now. I promise you, you will never taste the tomato soup. It just gives the cake moistness and puts it in the “spice cake family.” In fact, The Neighbor Wife pegged it as carrot cake first, so that tells you it was ok.
This was a dessert that was popular in the Depression era, and still goes strong today. A quick search on Google will yield a mountain of variations on the traditional recipe.
The first time I had this recipe was nearly two years ago at one of my old supper club gatherings, and I was hooked. This weekend, I happened to be going through my Supper Club recipe folder and stumbled on it. I’ve never made it myself, but did yesterday and not only is it delicious, it’s a snap to make. When it was served at supper club, it was spread with Emeril’s Roasted Walnut and Cream Cheese Frosting, which is simply heavenly.
Do you have Tomato Soup Cake memories? Do tell.
A year ago today … The Husband takes over.
Tomato Soup Cake
4 tablespoons butter
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 cans Tomato Soup
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons salt
2-1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon cloves
Blend butter, sugar and eggs. Sift dry ingredients together and add alternately with soup. Pour into bundt pan. Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean.
Toasted Walnut and Cream Cheese Frosting
Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 ounces (1/2 stick) butter, softened
3/4 pound (about 3 cups) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 to 3 tablespoons milk
1/2 cup toasted walnut pieces
In a large mixing bowl, with an electric mixer, cream the cheese and butter. Add the sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, mixing after each addition. Add the vanilla and milk and mix well. Fold in the walnut pieces.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Yum, I love tomato soup cake. I’ve only made it once and while it was good, it wasn’t great. Thanks for reminding me, I’ll have to bake another one soon.
I have read about using tomato soup in old fashioned Betty Crocker books but I’ve never seen it made. How very resourceful they were in the 50s! I wonder if split pea would work ;)
I have never heard of this but it sounds really neat!