Tomato Soup Cake (The Old-Fashioned Mystery Cake)

This is the cake people called “mystery cake.” A can of condensed tomato soup goes right into the batter. You don’t taste tomato at all. The soup adds moisture and a little tang, and the cinnamon, allspice and cloves take over. It’s a soft, old-fashioned spice cake, and it’s even better with cream cheese frosting.

A little history

Tomato soup cake goes back to the 1920s and 1930s, when cooks stretched what they had. The recipe was later printed on soup cans and in magazines and church cookbooks for decades. It stayed popular because it’s cheap, easy and always moist.

Tips

• Use condensed soup, straight from the can. Don’t add water to it.
• Don’t overbake. Start checking at 30 minutes. A toothpick in the center should come out clean.
• Let it cool completely before frosting.
• Add 1/2 cup raisins or chopped walnuts to the batter if you like.

Storing

Keep the frosted cake covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. Bring slices to room temperature before serving.

Tomato Soup Cake

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An old-fashioned spice cake made moist with a can of condensed tomato soup, topped with cream cheese frosting.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 15 servings

Ingredients

  

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• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1 can condensed tomato soup 10.75 oz, undiluted
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening softened
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup water
• 8 oz cream cheese softened, for frosting
• 1/4 cup butter softened, for frosting
• 3 cups powdered sugar for frosting
• 1 tsp vanilla extract for frosting

Instructions

 

• Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9x13-inch baking pan.
• In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon and cloves.
• Add the tomato soup, shortening, eggs and water. Beat with a mixer on low until blended, then on medium for 2 minutes, scraping the bowl.
• Spread the batter in the pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a rack.
• For the frosting, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in the powdered sugar and vanilla until fluffy. Spread over the cooled cake.

Notes

Store the frosted cake covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days.

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Keyword depression cake, mystery cake, tomato soup cake