Easy Tomato Soup Cake (Vintage Mystery Cake)

Easy Tomato Soup Cake turns a yellow cake mix into a moist, warmly spiced fall cake topped with cinnamon cream cheese frosting.

If you're looking for a cozy fall cake that's a little bit unusual, you're going to love this easy Tomato Soup Cake! I made mine with a Dolly Parton yellow cake mix, condensed tomato soup, tomato paste, and warm fall spices, then topped it with a luscious cinnamon cream cheese frosting.

Yes, friends. Dolly Parton and tomato soup have somehow ended up together in one of my cakes.

And strangely enough, the combination makes perfect sense to me.

A Dolly Cake Made for Fall

If you've followed along with my other Dolly Parton baking adventures, you know I've had a lot of fun experimenting with her line of cake mixes. When I decided to make this unusual old-fashioned Tomato Soup Cake, I happened to have a Dolly Parton yellow cake mix in my pantry.

The minute the cake came out of the oven, I knew I'd made the right choice.

That warm golden-orange color immediately took me back to East Tennessee in the fall.

I went to college in East Tennessee, not terribly far from the Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge area, where Dolly has such deep roots and where Dollywood sits today. And of all the beautiful places I've seen over the years, I still remember those Tennessee mountains in October.

The changing leaves were spectacular: Gold. Orange. Russet. Deep red. Mile after mile of brilliant fall color, particularly along that stretch from east of Nashville toward the Tri-Cities and the Tennessee border.

And would you believe that's almost exactly the color palette of this funny little cake?

Between the cinnamon, warm spices, yellow cake mix, tomato soup, and tomato paste, the finished cake has a gorgeous autumn color that reminds me a little of pumpkin or sweet potato cake.

So, while Dolly probably never envisioned one of her yellow cake mixes meeting a can of tomato soup, somehow this cake feels right at home in Tennessee in October.

So...Why Did I Put Tomato Soup in a Dolly Parton Cake Mix?

There's another story behind that.

I've had the flu, and yesterday a sweet friend came by with an assortment of canned soups to help me get through it. Among them were several cans of Campbell's tomato soup, which happened to be one of my favorites when I was growing up.

I had tomato soup for lunch yesterday, and as I looked at the remaining cans, I suddenly remembered a peculiar old-fashioned cake I'd been wanting to try for quite some time.

Tomato Soup Cake.

Sometimes it's also called Mystery Cake, which makes sense. If somebody handed you a slice without telling you what was in it, I doubt you'd ever guess there was tomato soup hiding inside.

Today I was feeling a little better. The soup was sitting there. The Dolly Parton cake mix was sitting there.

And, well...

I'm a baker. What did anyone expect me to do?

One of my friend's get-well cans of tomato soup went straight into a cake.

I'm pretty sure she'll forgive me.

What Is Old-Fashioned Tomato Soup Cake?

As strange as it sounds, Tomato Soup Cake isn't a new internet creation.

Versions of this old-fashioned spice cake have been around for generations. Campbell's says its own Tomato Soup Spice Cake became especially popular during the 1950s. The traditional version was made from scratch with flour, sugar, butter, eggs, warm spices, and condensed tomato soup. 

So, no. Grandma wasn't necessarily opening a box of cake mix to make hers.

But if you've spent any time here at Out of the Box Baking, you already know how my mind works.

I love old-fashioned recipes, but I also love discovering what I can do with a simple boxed cake mix, especially one with Dolly's name on it. (I pause to mention that the Dolly Parton brand of yellow cake mix is my favorite! It's velvety, luscious, and so fun to work with!)

And I couldn't resist finding out whether I could take this quirky vintage cake and give it the Out of the Box treatment.

Spoiler alert: I could.

Easy Tomato Soup Cake Ingredients

You will find a full printable recipe card at the bottom of this post but here's a quick glance at what you will need. These are simple ingredients you might already have in your pantry or refrigerator.

For the Cake

• 1 box yellow cake mix
• 1 can (10.5 ounces) condensed tomato soup, undiluted
• 3 large eggs
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
• ½–1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

Note: I used a Dolly Parton yellow cake mix because that's what I had on hand, but another brand of yellow cake mix should work just fine.

For the Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup salted butter, softened
• 3–4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½–1 teaspoon cinnamon
• Pinch of salt, optional
• Splash of milk or cream, only if needed

How to Make Easy Tomato Soup Cake

This cake couldn't be much simpler!

Preheat your oven to 350°F.

Prepare a 9×13-inch baking dish with baking spray.

Place the yellow cake mix, condensed tomato soup, eggs, vegetable oil, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, and tomato paste into a large mixing bowl.

Mix on low speed until the ingredients come together, then increase to medium speed and beat until the batter is smooth. Don't overmix.

Pour the batter into your prepared 9×13-inch baking dish and smooth it into an even layer.

Place the cake on the center rack of your preheated oven.

Bake for approximately 28 minutes, or until the center springs back when lightly touched and a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

Baker's note: Mine was fully baked right around the 28-minute mark. Because ovens and baking dishes vary, I suggest beginning to check yours at about 25–26 minutes.

Remove the cake from the oven and place the baking dish on a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

While the cake cools, prepare your frosting.

Place the softened cream cheese and butter into a large mixing bowl and beat until smooth and creamy.

Add the vanilla and cinnamon.

Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until you've reached the sweetness and consistency you prefer.

If the frosting is thicker than you like, add a tiny splash of milk or cream.

Once the cake is completely cool, spread the cinnamon cream cheese frosting over the top.

Slice into squares and serve.

What Does Tomato Soup Cake Taste Like?

Okay, friends. Confession time: I really did not want to like this cake.

Maybe it was psychological, but knowing there was an entire can of tomato soup—and two tablespoons of tomato paste!—in my cake batter had me completely prepared to take that first bite and taste tomato.

I didn't. Not even a little bit.

Instead, I tasted a deliciously moist, lightly spiced cake with just the right amount of warm fall flavor. The spices aren't overpowering at all. They're subtle and cozy, and the cake itself has a wonderfully soft, moist texture.

And that cinnamon cream cheese frosting?

Oh, my word.

It's absolutely perfect with this cake. The slight tang of the cream cheese, the sweetness of the powdered sugar, and that touch of cinnamon turn an already surprisingly delicious cake into something really special.

If you'd handed me a slice without telling me what was in it, I would have assumed I was eating some sort of lovely old-fashioned spice cake. Milder than most, perhaps, but ideal for fall.

I never, ever would have guessed tomato soup.

And perhaps that's why they used to call it Mystery Cake. Looks like this time the only mystery is how I'm going to keep from eating more when I really don't need the calories!

Variations on this Tomato Soup Cake

There are several ways you could change this recipe once you've made it as written.

You could add chopped pecans or walnuts to the batter or sprinkle them over the frosting. Campbell's traditional version suggests walnuts as an optional topping, so nuts certainly aren't out of place here. 

You could also bake this as two 8-inch rounds and turn it into a layer cake. In fact, Campbell's provides both layer-cake and Bundt-pan options for its traditional version. 

If you don't have pumpkin pie spice, use a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and/or cloves.

And if you don't happen to have a Dolly Parton cake mix? Don't let that stop you. Use your favorite yellow cake mix. In fact, you could even start with a white cake mix. Or a spice cake! if you use spice cake, though, skip the cinnamon and other spices.

How to Store Tomato Soup Cake

Because this cake is topped with cream cheese frosting, cover and refrigerate leftovers.

For the best flavor and texture, let an individual slice sit at room temperature for a little while before serving.

You can also freeze the unfrosted cake tightly wrapped for up to two months. Thaw completely before frosting.

More Cozy Fall Cakes to Try

If this cake has you in the mood for fall baking, I've got plenty more where this came from.

My Old-Fashioned Molasses Cake with Brown Sugar Buttercream is another wonderful marriage of old-fashioned flavor and modern cake-mix convenience. It's rich with molasses and warm spices and topped with brown sugar buttercream. 

My Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake is another easy doctored cake mix recipe loaded with fall flavor. 

If caramel and butterscotch are more your speed, try my Caramel Butterscotch Pound Cake. It's rich, gooey, and especially lovely for fall gatherings. 

And don't miss my huge collection of Easy Fall Cake Mix Creations. You'll find dozens of cakes, cookies, bars, muffins, breads, and other easy autumn treats that begin with a box. 

If You Like This, You'll Love That: Cakes with Crazy Names

Tomato Soup Cake isn't the only dessert with a name that makes you stop and say, “Wait...what?”

My 25 Cakes with Crazy Names collection includes everything from Screwball Cake (also known as Wacky Cake) and Are You Kidding Me? Cake to Hummingbird Cake and Sock It to Me Cake. 

And over at Backyard Texas Grill, you'll find my Pig Pickin' Cake, a Southern potluck favorite made with mandarin oranges, pineapple, and fluffy whipped topping. The funny name comes from the Southern whole-hog gatherings where this cool citrus cake became a popular dessert. 

Honestly, after making a cake with tomato soup, I'm beginning to think no cake name can surprise me anymore.

Looking for More Dolly-Inspired Cakes?

I've got those, too! Some of my favorites include my Dolly Parton Strawberry Pound cake, my Snickerdoodle Cake, and my Sock-it-to-Me Cake. Those Dolly mixes are terrific for all sorts of cakes, cookies, bars, and more!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you taste the tomato soup in Tomato Soup Cake?

The finished cake is intended to taste like a warm spice cake rather than tomato soup. Campbell's describes its traditional version as similar to spice or carrot cake, with the tomato soup contributing moisture and color rather than an overt tomato flavor. 

Is Tomato Soup Cake an old-fashioned recipe?

Yes. Tomato Soup Cake has been around for generations, and Campbell's says its version became particularly popular in the 1950s. 

Was the original Tomato Soup Cake made with cake mix?

Traditional versions were made from scratch. This recipe is my modern cake-mix adaptation of the vintage idea. Interestingly, Campbell's now also offers a semi-homemade variation using boxed spice cake mix. 

Why put tomato soup in a cake?

Condensed tomato soup contributes liquid, acidity, moisture, and color. Paired with cinnamon and other warm spices, it becomes part of the cake rather than making the dessert taste savory.

Is Tomato Soup Cake the same thing as red velvet cake?

No. Although some variations may have a reddish color, traditional red velvet includes cocoa and has a different flavor profile. This recipe is much more accurately described as a spice cake.

Can I use white cake mix instead of yellow?

Yes. A white cake mix should provide a neutral base for the tomato soup and spices. The finished color may vary somewhat.

Do I have to use Dolly Parton cake mix?

Not at all. That's what I used, and it provided a fun connection to my memories of Tennessee, but your favorite yellow cake mix should work.

Do I need the tomato paste?

The tomato paste is part of my version of the recipe and helps deepen the natural color and tomato component. If you're making this recipe exactly as I tested it, I recommend using it.

Can I make this into a layer cake?

You should be able to divide the batter between two prepared 8-inch round pans. Begin checking earlier than you would for the 9×13 version. Campbell's also offers a layer-cake version of its Tomato Soup Spice Cake. 

What frosting goes best with Tomato Soup Cake?

Cream cheese frosting is a classic pairing for spice cakes, and I took mine one step further by adding cinnamon. The slight tang of the cream cheese works beautifully with warm fall spices.

Thanks for Stopping By!

Thanks so much for stopping by Out of the Box Baking! I hope this quirky old-fashioned cake inspires you to try something completely unexpected in your own kitchen.

If there's one thing I've learned after years of experimenting with cake mixes, it's that sometimes the strangest ideas turn into the most memorable desserts.

And tomato soup in a cake? Well, that might be one of the strangest yet.

If you make this Easy Tomato Soup Cake, leave me a comment and let me know what you think. And whatever you do, make somebody taste it before you tell them what's in it!

Be sure to pin some photos before you go!

About the Baker

I'm Janice, the baker behind Out of the Box Baking. I love taking simple boxed cake mixes and transforming them into desserts that look and taste like something completely different. I'm also an author, blogger, grandmother, and lifelong baker with a particular fondness for old-fashioned recipes and the stories behind them.

For me, a cake mix isn't the finished product. It's simply where the fun begins.