This 80-Year-Old Tomato Soup Cake Is the Perfect Vintage Fall Recipe

Obsessing over fall flavors right now? So are we. But in a season overloaded with pumpkin-this and pumpkin-that, sometimes it’s nice to break from norm and appreciate an underdog in fall ingredients: tomato soup.

Sure, it’ll pair nicely as a warm, creamy counterpart to your toasty grilled cheese, but that’s not what we want to focus on today. Did you know you can actually use the savory soup to bake a totally delicious, not-weird-at-all tomato soup cake?

It turns out that tomato soup has the right balance of salt, tang, and sweet to create a moist, tasty fall treat. The spices are warm and comforting like a traditional spice cake, while the consistency is similar to banana bread. Plus, the color of the cake turns out so burnt orange that, topped with a cream cheese frosting, your guests would never know the difference from a pumpkin dessert.

Believe it or not, tomato soup cake has been around for quite a while, with the first official record appearing in 1940 (more than 80 years ago!), according to the Campbell Soup Company. Chances are, it might be hiding somewhere in your grandma’s old recipe books. One reviewer has had this recipe in their family for four generations, so you know it’s got to be a keeper.

This recipe is accompanied by some helpful (and hilarious) reviews, so take a peek at the comments before writing it off. One reviewer says her entire family loves this cake, but she wouldn’t dare call it by its real name. Another mentions, “My guests couldn’t guess the ‘secret ingredient’ & they raved over the spicy zang.”

Try adding chopped nuts for texture, or omit the raisins if your crowd isn’t a fan. Bake it in a loaf pan, bundt, or muffin tin depending on your favorite style, and treat your loved ones to a new and unexpected baked good this holiday season. Your secret’s safe with us!

Get the recipe: Tomato Soup Cake