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Dr.Insomnia
February 1, 2016
Had never heard of this, and though it sounded weird, I couldn't resist making it and finding out for myself. It's actually a pretty good cake. There is a weirdness to it, especially when you know it is made with tomato. And it would not be sweet enough for (most) American tastes without a good frosting. I went with a typical, heavily sweetened cream cheese frosting with a liberal addition of cinnamon to it to accent the cake. I'll be having a piece of this every night this week.
Marylyn
September 10, 2014
Marylyn
My Mother used to make this cake along with Poor Man's Cake. I loved both of them. I just bought Campbell's Tomato Soup today and will make it tomorrow. I can't wait to see how my husband and kids and grandkids like it. What wonderful memories this has brought back for me. Thanks for sharing.
My Mother used to make this cake along with Poor Man's Cake. I loved both of them. I just bought Campbell's Tomato Soup today and will make it tomorrow. I can't wait to see how my husband and kids and grandkids like it. What wonderful memories this has brought back for me. Thanks for sharing.
Tiffany K.
August 6, 2014
The writing of this article was extremely charming and enjoyable! I'm not intimidated either, I'm ready to take this cake on! Thank you for sharing both recipe and story
audrey T.
May 10, 2014
i think i will bake this for Mothers Day and remember....my Mom made ours with peanut butter icing
SophieL
March 17, 2014
I made this cake yesterday afternoon on an impulse because I had all the ingredients on hand, and boy, was it a hit at dinner. The only change I made was baking it in a 13x9" pan for 40 minutes. BTW, my batter was more brownish than pink, but no matter - it was delicious. I took it to work today and people couldn't stop eating it. It's a keeper!
Carole L.
March 16, 2014
Go to this website to see the original. http://www.foodchannel.com/articles/article/ritz-celebrates-75th-anniversary-with-mock-nifice/
melissa
March 16, 2014
now all we need is the apple pie made with no apples and ritz crackers !! depression era food
diaday
March 17, 2014
I haven't purchased a box of Ritz in a long time, but this recipe used to be on the back of the box. It's called Ritz Mock Apple Pie. http://www.snackworks.com/recipe/ritz-mock-apple-pie-53709.aspx
kate72
March 16, 2014
OMG! My grandmother used to make this when I was a little kid, minus the cream cheese frosting because she hated dairy. I always loved this cake but never got around to asking her for the recipe before she died. I'll definetely be making this cake soon. thanks for the memories ;)
Marian B.
March 16, 2014
I love hearing how many people ate this growing up! Hope you enjoy trying it again.
Carole L.
March 16, 2014
I still have those sun glasses and a bathing suit sort of like the one she is wearing. Eating too much cake has made it impossible to fit into but the glasses can still remind me of Atlantic City in the 50s and 60s. All they needed was bongo drums and it could have been a picture of our crowd in front of the Ambassador Hotel.
karen
March 16, 2014
My grandmother made this cake and served it with cream cheese frosting. Good memories.
stingraystirs
March 16, 2014
I love the sunglasses too! Gina - do you have a recipe for that eggless, butter less-milkless cake? Just curious. And thanks again Marian. I made your recipe and it was a hit. Still on the hunt for my Grandmother's, which I'm sure is very similar, if not identical. I put an A.P.B. out within my family for the tattered, stained recipe card I remember it being on. A cousin remembers a Campbell's soup can label taped to a greeting card. I'll keep you posted….
Marian B.
March 16, 2014
This might be the one! http://food52.com/recipes/24484-margaret-fox-s-amazon-chocolate-cake
gina G.
March 16, 2014
This recipe, and its WWII cousin recipe, Eggless-butterless-milkless cake, were the birthday cakes I always asked for as a kid.
I would KILL for those sunglasses.
I would KILL for those sunglasses.
Marian B.
March 16, 2014
I wonder if that's the Amazon cake you're referring to? http://food52.com/recipes/24484-margaret-fox-s-amazon-chocolate-cake
GraceMargriet
March 16, 2014
This sounds delicious and interesting! I am in Europe and I am curious what canned tomato soup I should use. And if I can find it here.. Was it Campbell's? (which I find a bit sweet compared to the canned soup we find here)
Sam
March 16, 2014
Great Tomato Cake Recipe. What I love even more than the recipe is the very affectionately you speak of you grandmother. It's very refreshing.
debbie H.
March 17, 2014
Sam is right - its not only the ingredients but also the love that went into everything you grandmother cooked. I had a grandmother like that too. Thanks for sharing.
Shelley L.
March 11, 2014
OMG, my mom used to make a recipe that appears to be just like this one, back in the 70's. She wasn't a very good cook, but this was one of her recipes that I LOVED!
Hilary F.
March 11, 2014
You don't know how happy you have made me with this recipe. My grandmother used to make us tomato spice bread. Same as your cake without the frosting. I was born in 1960 and I think she was about 75 then. I'm still trying to figure out her jello mayo recipe.
Jane E.
March 10, 2014
This was the "hippie-go-bake" cake of San Francisco in the 'sixties. Someone must have received the recipe from Grandma.
Jane E.
March 11, 2014
Seriously, the recipe was printed in one of the counterculture papers under that name. We all made the cake. I lost the recipe years ago, but this appears to be the very thing. I'll make it for my hipster kids and they will be enchanted.
stingraystirs
March 10, 2014
Love this story.. I grew up on the coast in N.H. and my Grandmother made soup cake too. No frosting though, just powdered sugar. Thanks for posting. You inspired me to find her recipe…and I'll try yours too.
Heather
March 10, 2014
This is a very common cake on the Alberta prairies! My friends from Ontario all think I'm crazy when I talk about growing up eating this. My Grandma would make it for me because I wouldn't eat carrot cake and she found spice cake too boring. Thanks for a walk down memory lane with a recipe.
Marian B.
March 11, 2014
Yes, I like how it's reminiscent of carrot cake but still totally different! Love knowing that this is popular in Canada, too.
boulangere
March 10, 2014
Children's book author, Patricia Polacco, wrote a wonderful book called Thunder Cake (http://www.amazon.com/Thunder-Cake-Patricia-Polacco/dp/0698115813/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1394497106&sr=8-1&keywords=thunder+cake), one of whose ingredients is tomato purée, though we used tomato soup, figuring it would be more familiar to children. When my son was in first grade, I organized a scavenger hunt all over the school for the cake's ingredients, and when they'd all been gathered, we mixed the cake in the classroom and the cafeteria ladies kindly baked it for us. Then we ate it that afternoon . . . . during story time. The tomato soup totally makes the cake.
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