Soup to Nuts: The Weirdest Cake I’ve Ever Tried

This cake is wild. I found it in my Great Grandma Mabel’s recipe book, and I said “this is too insane to not try.” Nothing screams “1950s! AMERICA!” more than a can of Campbell’s tomato soup, and nothing screams “WE ARE VERY CONFIDENT IN OURSELVES” than putting said soup into a cake.

I’d be lying if I said I loved this cake. I was surprised by how okay it was, and then wondered if I’d ever make it again. Jury is still in session.

The original newspaper clipping of the recipe my great grandma used. Published in “The Geiger Counter,” her local paper’s cooking section.

My mom and my aunt’s all described it as Carrot Cake-esque. I see where they’re coming from, but I would describe it as a spice cake that tastes very much like tomato soup. It’s moist, dark red, and a relic of history.

Also, be warned that the baking soda gets added directly to the tomato soup, and the tomato soup will foam up. Put it in a large container to avoid any terrifying, foamy, blood red mishaps.

Enjoy!

This is what foamy tomato soup looks like.

Watch Theresa Make It!

Soup to Nuts Cake (it’s tomato soup cake)

A relic of American cake history, this moist spice cake contains tomato soup, and is proud of it. This recipe comes from my Great Grandmother Mabel.
Print Recipe
Servings 8 people

Equipment

  • 8" cake pan

Ingredients
  

For Cake:

  • 1 cup + 2 TBSP all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground clove
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 can tomato soup (10.75 oz can)
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 cup walnuts, or other nut, rough chopped

For Frosting:

  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (1/2 stick or 2 oz)
  • 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar (have more on hand if you like a thicker frosting)
  • 2 TBSP whole milk (have more on hand if you need to thin out frosting)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350F degrees, and adjust a rack to the center of the oven. Lightly spray an 8" cake pan, and line bottom with parchment round.
  • In medium bowl, whisk together flour, and spices. Set aside.
  • In another medium bowl, crack egg and give it a bit of a whisk. Add sugar and vegetable oil, and whisk together.
  • Pour tomato soup into a bowl or a quart container (or any container slightly larger than it's can.) Whisk in 1 tsp baking soda. Mixture will start foaming and grow in volume. Whisk tomato foam mixture into wet ingredients, and whisk together thoroughly.
  • Combine wet ingredients into dry ingredients, then fold in nuts.
  • Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake in oven for about 30 minutes, rotating after 15 minutes. When cake is done, it should be springy to the touch.
  • Allow to cool, and frost. Top with any extra nuts, or eat as is.
Keyword 1950s, midcentury america, soup to nuts, tomato soup, tomato soup cake