Old-Fashioned Tomato Soup Cake (Eggless Spice Cake)

Have you ever made a cake with a can of soup in it? Me neither, until I found this one tucked into my Dorothy Dean collection.

If you grew up around Spokane, you probably know the name. Dorothy Dean was the Spokesman-Review’s homemaker service, and for decades, women around the Inland Northwest turned to her leaflets and columns for just about everything kitchen related. I’ve been slowly collecting her recipes, and when I came across Tomato Soup Cake, I had to try it. I was a bit skeptical, but curious enough to taste it.

I’ll be honest, I wasn’t sure what to expect. But it bakes up into a moist spice cake with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, and you can’t taste the tomato at all! My husband hates tomatoes, and he actually liked it.

Quick Facts

• What it tastes like: A moist spice cake with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. You can’t taste the tomato.
• Secret ingredient: One 10.75 oz can of condensed tomato soup, undiluted
• Also called: Mystery Cake
• Recipe source: Vintage Dorothy Dean Homemaker’s Service recipe from the Spokesman-Review
• Dates back to: The 1920s
• Eggs? None! This is an eggless cake.
• Frosting: Cream cheese frosting
• Mix-ins: Raisins and walnuts (easy to leave out)
• Pan size: 9-inch square
• Oven temp: 350°F
• Prep time: 15 minutes
• Bake time: 50 to 60 minutes
• Servings: 12
• Skill level: Easy
• Make ahead: Bake a day early and frost before serving
• Storage: Unfrosted at room temperature; frosted in the fridge
• Freezer friendly: Yes, unfrosted, for up to 2 months
• Perfect for: Thanksgiving, holiday parties, potlucks, and anyone who loves a good kitchen surprise.

What Each Ingredient Does

• Shortening: Shortening makes this cake soft and tender, and creaming it with sugar traps air that helps it rise. Regular or butter-flavored Crisco both work great.
• Sugar: Sugar sweetens the cake and keeps it moist. It also helps the shortening whip up light and fluffy.
• Baking soda: Baking soda reacts with the acid in the tomato soup to make the bubbles that help the cake rise. Stirring it into the soup first makes it foam up, so you know it’s working.
• Condensed tomato soup: One 10.75 oz can of soup is the secret ingredient that keeps this cake so moist and gives it a warm reddish color. It also replaces eggs, so use it straight from the can without adding water.
• Flour: All-purpose flour gives the cake its structure so it holds together. Sifting it with the spices keeps the cake light and spreads the flavor evenly.
• Cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves: These warm spices give it that classic spice cake flavor and keep anyone from guessing there’s tomato soup inside. Cloves are strong, so a little goes a long way.
• Baking powder: Baking powder gives the cake a second boost in the oven so it bakes up tall instead of dense. It works together with the baking soda for the perfect rise.
• Raisins: Raisins add chewy little bites of sweetness and extra moisture. Chopped dates or dried cranberries work too.
• Walnuts: Walnuts add crunch and a toasty flavor that goes great with the spices. Swap in pecans or leave them out for a nut-free cake.
• Cream cheese: A 3 oz package of softened cream cheese makes a tangy frosting that balances the sweet, spiced cake. Use the brick kind, not the spreadable tub.
• Powdered sugar: Powdered sugar sweetens the frosting and thickens it so it spreads easily. Sift it first if it’s lumpy.
• Vanilla: Just a teaspoon of vanilla rounds out the frosting and makes it taste homemade.

Tips for Success

• Use condensed soup: Grab condensed tomato soup, not the ready-to-eat kind. Ready-to-eat soup is thinner and will make the batter too runny.
• Use a bigger bowl for the soup: The baking soda makes the soup foam up and grow a bit. A roomy bowl keeps it from spilling over.
• Spoon and level your flour: Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off instead of scooping straight from the bag. Too much flour makes the cake dry.
• Keep raisins and nuts from sinking: Toss them in a spoonful of the flour mixture before stirring them in. The light coating helps them stay spread through the cake.
• Spread the batter evenly: This batter is thick, so use a spatula to push it into the corners of the pan. That helps it bake evenly.
• Check it at 50 minutes: Start checking with a toothpick at 50 minutes. If you’re using a glass pan, check a few minutes early since glass bakes faster.
• Let it cool completely: Frost the cake only after it’s completely cool. A warm cake will melt the cream cheese frosting.
• Soften the cream cheese: Set it on the counter for about an hour before mixing. Cold cream cheese makes lumpy frosting.
• Want more frosting? The recipe makes a thin layer. Double it if you love a thick, generous frosting.
• Make it a day ahead: Spice cakes taste even better the next day once the flavors settle in. That makes this a great bake-ahead dessert for Thanksgiving.
• Keep the secret: Don’t tell anyone what’s in it until they’ve had a bite. Watching them guess is half the fun!

Why You’ll Love Tomato Soup Cake

• Nobody will guess the secret ingredient: It tastes just like a classic spice cake with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. You can’t taste the tomato soup at all!
• It’s super moist: The can of tomato soup keeps this cake soft and moist for days. No dry cake here.
• No eggs needed: This old-fashioned cake is eggless, so it’s perfect when you’re out of eggs or baking for someone who can’t have them.
• It uses simple pantry ingredients: Shortening, sugar, flour, spices, and a can of soup. You probably have most of it in your kitchen right now.
• It’s easy to make: Just one bowl for the soup, one for the batter, and a 9-inch square pan. Even beginner bakers can pull it off.
• It’s a real vintage recipe: This one comes from my Dorothy Dean collection, a beloved Spokane homemaker service that shared tested recipes for decades.
• It’s a great conversation starter: Bring it to a potluck or holiday party and watch everyone’s faces when you share the secret.
• It’s perfect for Thanksgiving: The warm spices fit right in on the holiday dessert table, and you can bake it a day ahead.

Substitutions and Variations

Are you a recipe follower or do you like to make it your own? This cake is pretty forgiving, so here are some easy ways to switch it up!

Swaps

• Butter instead of shortening: You can use softened butter if you don’t keep Crisco on hand. The cake will have a richer flavor, but it will be a little less tender.
• Pumpkin pie spice: Out of nutmeg or cloves? Use 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice in place of all three spices. It’s a fun twist for Thanksgiving!
• Change up the spices: Add more cinnamon if you love it or cut back on the cloves if you want a milder cake. A pinch of ginger or allspice is good too.
• Skip the raisins: Not everyone loves raisins, and that’s okay! Leave them out or use chopped dates or dried cranberries instead.
• Swap the nuts: Pecans work just as well as walnuts. Leave them out completely for a nut-free cake.
• Gluten-free: A 1:1 gluten-free baking flour should work in place of the all-purpose flour. The texture may be a little different, but it’s a good option if you need it.

Variations

• Spice cake mix version: Back in the 60s and 70s, lots of home bakers made this with a boxed spice cake mix. A box of spice cake mix, a can of tomato soup, 1/4 cup water, and 2 eggs is the shortcut version.
• Add coconut or dried fruit: Stir in shredded coconut or chopped dried apricots for extra sweetness and texture.
• Add a splash of extract: A teaspoon of vanilla, almond, or maple extract adds another layer of flavor.

Pan Sizes

• 9×13 pan: Double the recipe for a bigger crowd. Start checking it with a toothpick a little earlier than you’d think, since a wider pan bakes differently.
• Loaf pans: This cake bakes up nicely as a loaf, which makes it great for gifting at the holidays. Check it at around 40 minutes.
• Cupcakes: Fill lined muffin cups about 2/3 full and start checking around 20 minutes. Top each one with a swirl of cream cheese frosting!

Frosting and Toppings

• Chocolate frosting: Lots of older Mystery Cake recipes were topped with chocolate frosting. It’s a fun way to make it the old-fashioned way!
• Vanilla buttercream: Use your favorite buttercream if you’re not a cream cheese fan.
• Powdered sugar: Skip the frosting and dust the top with powdered sugar for a lighter, simpler cake.
• Finishing touches: Sprinkle the frosting with chopped walnuts, a little cinnamon, or a drizzle of caramel sauce. Caramel and spice cake are so good together!

Storage Tips

This cake keeps really well, which is one of my favorite things about it! The tomato soup keeps it moist for days. Here’s how to store it.

• At room temperature: An unfrosted cake can sit on the counter for up to 2 days. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap or keep it in an airtight container so it doesn’t dry out.
• In the fridge: Once it’s frosted, keep it in the fridge because of the cream cheese frosting. Cover it well, and it will stay good for up to 5 days.
• Let it warm up a bit: Take the cake out of the fridge about 30 minutes before serving. The spices taste better, and the frosting softens up nicely!
• In the freezer: Freeze the cake unfrosted for up to 2 months. Wrap it in plastic wrap, then a layer of foil, to keep freezer burn away.
• Freezing slices: You can freeze individual slices too. Wrap each one separately so you can pull out just one when a craving hits!
• Thawing: Let the cake thaw overnight in the fridge, then frost it once it’s fully thawed.
• Making it ahead for the holidays: Bake the cake a day or two before Thanksgiving and keep it unfrosted on the counter. Frost it the morning of so it looks fresh for the dessert table.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is tomato soup cake? Tomato soup cake is an old-fashioned spice cake made with a can of condensed tomato soup. It’s moist, warmly spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, and usually topped with cream cheese frosting. It sounds strange, but it’s so good!

Can you taste the tomato soup in the cake? No, you can’t taste the tomato at all! The soup adds moisture and a little sweetness, and the spices take over. My family couldn’t guess the secret ingredient.

Why is it called Mystery Cake? Tomato soup cake was first called Mystery Cake back in the 1920s. Home bakers loved serving it and letting everyone guess what was inside. It’s still a fun party trick today!

Where does tomato soup cake come from? Tomato soup cake dates back to the 1920s and became popular during the Depression and World War II, when eggs and butter were hard to come by. Campbell’s later printed a version right on its soup cans. My recipe comes from my Dorothy Dean collection, the Spokesman-Review’s homemaker service in Spokane.

Why do you put tomato soup in a cake? Tomato soup keeps the cake moist and replaces eggs. It’s also a little acidic, so it reacts with the baking soda to help the cake rise. Pretty clever for a can of soup!

Does tomato soup cake have eggs? This recipe doesn’t use any eggs. The thick condensed soup gives the batter enough body to hold together, so it’s a great cake to make when you’re out of eggs.

What kind of tomato soup should I use? Use plain condensed tomato soup, like Campbell’s, straight from the can. Store brands work too. Don’t add water, and skip flavored soups with basil or garlic.

What is shortening? Can I use butter instead? Shortening is Crisco! Regular or butter-flavored both work. You can use softened butter instead, but the cake will be a little less tender.

Is tomato soup cake the same as carrot cake? No, but they’re cousins! Both are moist, spiced cakes with cream cheese frosting, but tomato soup cake tastes more like a classic spice cake and doesn’t have any shredded carrots.

Can I make tomato soup cake with a cake mix? Yes! Lots of bakers in the 60s and 70s made it with a boxed spice cake mix, a can of tomato soup, 1/4 cup water, and 2 eggs. It’s a quick shortcut, but I love the from-scratch version.

Can I make it in a 9×13 pan or as cupcakes? Yes! Double the recipe for a 9×13 pan and start checking it early. For cupcakes, fill the liners about 2/3 full and check them around 20 minutes.

Can I make tomato soup cake ahead of time? Yes, and it tastes even better the next day! Bake it a day or two ahead, keep it unfrosted and covered on the counter, and frost it the day you serve it.

How do I store tomato soup cake? Keep an unfrosted cake covered at room temperature for up to 2 days. Once it’s frosted, store it in the fridge for up to 5 days because of the cream cheese frosting.

Can I freeze tomato soup cake? Yes! Freeze it unfrosted for up to 2 months, wrapped in plastic wrap and foil. Thaw it overnight in the fridge, then frost.

Is tomato soup cake good for Thanksgiving? It’s perfect for Thanksgiving! The warm spices fit right in with pumpkin and apple desserts; you can bake it ahead, and it gives everyone something fun to talk about at the table.

What to Serve with Tomato Soup Cake

Wondering what goes with tomato soup cake? Since it tastes like a classic spice cake, it goes with just about anything warm and cozy! Here are some of my favorite ways to serve it.

Something on Top

• No-Churn Custard Ice Cream: A scoop of creamy vanilla custard ice cream next to a slice of spice cake is so good. The cold ice cream and warm spices are a perfect match.
• Whipped cream: A big spoonful of fresh whipped cream with a sprinkle of cinnamon is simple and delicious. It’s great if you skip the frosting too.
• Chocolate Ice Cream: Lots of old Mystery Cake recipes were topped with chocolate frosting, so chocolate ice cream is a fun nod to the original!

Something to Sip

• Hot coffee: Spice cake and a hot cup of coffee are a classic combo. It’s perfect for an afternoon treat or dessert with friends.
• Hot apple cider: Warm cider brings out the cinnamon and cloves in the cake. It’s especially nice on a chilly holiday evening.
• Chai tea: Chai has many of the same warm spices as the cake, so they go together beautifully.
• A cold glass of milk: Sometimes simple is best! Cake and cold milk never go out of style.

For Your Thanksgiving Dessert Table

• Pumpkin Chiffon Pie: This light, fluffy pumpkin pie gives everyone a classic option alongside your conversation-starter cake.
• Homemade Apple Pie: Apple pie and spice cake are both holiday favorites. Serve them together so everyone gets a little of both!
• Apple Pan Dowdy: This old-fashioned apple dessert fits right in with a vintage cake like this one.

For a Cozy Old-Fashioned Dinner

Tomato soup cake is the perfect ending to a comforting meal. Try it after Slow Cooker Rump Roast or Swiss Steak with Orange Glazed Carrots and Corn Pudding on the side. For Thanksgiving, it’s a great finish after turkey, Bread Dressing, and Giblet Gravy.

Looking for More Old-Fashioned Cakes?

If you love a cake with a surprise ingredient, you have to try my Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake and Dr Pepper Cake! My Wacky Cake is another clever eggless cake from the Depression era. You can find even more favorites in my roundup of Old-Fashioned Cakes.

Other Recipes You May Enjoy

If you like Tomato Soup Cake, you might like my Mashed Potato Cookies or my Cinnamon Raisin Bread. Another cake you may enjoy is my Cinnamon Crumb Cake. Chai Spiced Sheet Cake and St. Louis Cake are also delicious options. These Kitchen Sink Cupcakes are yummy too.