Tomato Soup Cake

From Marcia Chaffee, of Portland and Lubec

This vintage recipe has been in my family since my mom found it, likely in the 50’s. The fact that it includes a can of Campbells Tomato Soup represents that era. It was a favorite of my dad’s, so it was made for his birthday cake every year. Now we have a nephew who convinces the ever-changing girlfriends to make it for his birthday cake.

I have one particularly strong memory of this cake: There was a game called Categories that we played in my first grade class. We would sit in a circle clapping a rhythm, and when the teacher called out a category, the kids would go around the circle in turn and say the name of something in that category, keeping to the beat of the rhythm. Remember? Well, Miss Carr called out “Cakes!” and I waited my turn, confident of not repeating a flavor—“chocolate, strawberry, lemon", ——"Tomato Soup” I gleefully called. I was, of course, disqualified. Miss Carr assumed I had not understood the game, and I had to leave the circle, as was the rule. When I came home, I told my mother my story, and the next day she came to school and gave Miss Carr a copy of the recipe. Miss Carr did announce her mistake in class—and I hope she tried the cake.  

I send this outdated recipe in honor of family traditions and favorites.  Try it—it’s good. 

The recipe card is in my mother’s writing.  She covered the cake with a cream cheese frosting that included rum or brandy.

Makes one 9-inch bundt cake

1/2 cup Crisco

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup tomato soup

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 cup raisins

1 cup chopped walnuts

Cream cheese frosting, to ice one cake

Beat Crisco with sugar. In a separate bowl, stir baking soda into tomato soup. Add tomato soup to Crisco mixture. Sift together dry ingredients and add to first mixture. Stir in raisins and nuts. Pour into a greased 9-inch tube pan and bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes. Test for doneness with a toothpick. Cake is moist and heavy, and is better if made the day ahead. Drizzle with cream cheese frosting, if desired.