In 1949, the year I was born, the tomato soup cake recipe appeared in the New York Times, and in 1960 it became the first recipe to appear on a soup label. Now it's my turn to put a modern spin on this legendary, vintage recipe. I took the 1950's Tomato Soup Spice Cake recipe and tweaked it into the 2020's Tomato Soup Zucchini Snack Cake Recipe.
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FAQ's
According to the Campbell Soup Company, a Tomato Soup Spice Cake Recipe first appeared in an undated cookbook from the late 1920's. By some accounts, tomato soup cake was popular among Irish immigrants in New England, although no one really knows for sure the origins of the original recipe.
During the Great Depression and World War II, home cooks had to find ways to make recipes using rationed ingredients. Ingredients like oil, mayonnaise, and tomato soup were used in place of butter, milk, and eggs to create cakes. From 1950 to 1966, many different tweaks to the tomato soup cake recipe were published in Campbell's cookbooks in an effort to perfect the texture of the cake, until version #38 sealed the deal. The delicious spice cake was also called Mystery Cake and Secret Ingredient Cake.
Botanically speaking, a tomato is a fruit. However, in common vernacular it is a vegetable; hence in 1893, the United States Supreme Court ruled that a tomato is a vegetable for the purposes of customs regulations.
Ingredients
For the full recipe with quantities, see the recipe card at the end of the post.
Ingredient Notes
Zucchini - Use a nice firm zucchini squash and grate the outmost part, avoiding the seeds in the center.
Soup - Use Campbell's Condensed Soup.
Flour - All-purpose flour works well but feel free to experiment.
Raisins - I used golden raisins but regular ones are fine too.
(See the recipe card for quantities.)
Step by Step Instructions
Combine wet ingredients, egg, and sugar in a large bowl with the Campbell's soup.
Whisk to combine. Do not overmix!
Add dry ingredients plus zucchini and raisins.
Mix batter with whisk in bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer.
Substitutions and Variations
This Tomato Soup Zucchini Snack Cake Recipe is perfect for improvisation.
- Cupcakes - ditch the Bundt pan and make cupcakes with cream cheese icing.
- Loaf Cake - bake in a loaf pan and slice.
- Square Cake Pan - with cream cheese frosting.
- Deluxe - add chopped walnuts or pecans.
- Kid-friendly - Make mini cupcakes for a great lunch box treat or after-school snack.
My Other Unique Cake Recipes
This is Purple Carrot Cake using purple carrots with cream cheese frosting.
Pig Pickin' Cake is a super easy cake made with canned mandarin oranges.
Equipment for Tomato Soup Zucchini Snack Cake
- Mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Can Opener for the can of Campbell soup
- Electric mixer (optional) Whisking by hand works fine.
- Bundt pan or other type baking pans
Storage
Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2-3 days. Best served at room temperature.
Top tip
Before adding the grated zucchini to the batter, let it sit on paper towels to absorb the extra moisture. Pat dry, but do not try to wring all the water out or you risk making the grated zucchini mushy.
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- WhiskCan Opener for the can of Campbell soup
- Electric mixer (optional)
- Bundt pan or other type baking pans
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients:
- 5 ounces Campbell's condensed tomato soup
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
Dry Ingredients:
- 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅓ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ tablespoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1.25 cups grated zucchini
- ½ cup raisins
For the glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
For the cake:
- Grease and flour baking pan or spray with baking spray. Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees.
- Combine wet ingredients: Campbell's tomato soup, egg, oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk by hand or medium-high speed on the electric mixer. Do not over mix!
- Add dry ingredients: Flour, salt, baking powder baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg to the bowl with the wet ingredients and mix by hand or on low speed of the electric mixer.
- Gently fold zucchini and raisins into batter. Do not overmix.
- Add the cake batter to the prepared pan. Bake in 350 degree oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Baking time varies by which pan you use. My small Bundt pan too 30 minutes.
- Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
- Remove the cake from the baking pan to a wire rack. Cool completely before adding glaze.
For the glaze:
- Mix all ingredients in a small bowl. Whisk until pourable adding more milk as needed.
- Pour glaze over cooled cake.
Sue says
I love this cake!
Mary says
Thanks. I am glad you liked it.