Got tomatoes? Of course you do.
By late summer, gardens, farmers markets, and kitchen counters seem to be overflowing with them. We turn tomatoes into sauce, salsa, salads, soups, and sandwiches—but dessert?
Why not? Tomatoes are fruit, after all.
In this old-fashioned style of spice cake, ripe tomatoes provide much the same magic that zucchini or applesauce brings to baking: moisture, tenderness, and just enough acidity to balance the sweetness. You won’t bite into this cake and think tomato. Instead, you’ll find a wonderfully moist, warmly spiced cake that just happens to provide one more delicious answer to the annual late-summer question: What am I going to do with all these tomatoes?
Fresh Tomato Spice Cake is especially good made with very ripe tomatoes that need to be used quickly. Heirlooms, Early Girls, beefsteaks, or other flavorful slicing tomatoes all work beautifully. A simple cream cheese frosting makes the cake feel familiar and comforting, while toasted pecans add a little crunch.
INGREDIENTS:
For the cake
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom, optional
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup neutral oil or light olive oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups puréed ripe tomatoes
1/2 cup toasted chopped pecans or walnuts, optional
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
METHOD:
Core and roughly chop very ripe tomatoes, then purée them in a blender or food processor until smooth. There is no need to peel them unless the skins are especially thick or tough. Measure 1 1/2 cups tomato purée for the cake.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan and line the bottom with parchment paper, if desired.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom, and salt.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla until smooth and well combined. Stir in the tomato purée.
Add the dry ingredients to the tomato mixture and stir just until combined. Do not overmix. Fold in the toasted nuts, if using.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the cake springs back lightly when touched and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Cool completely before frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
Beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth and fluffy.
Gradually beat in the powdered sugar, then add the vanilla and a pinch of salt. Beat until light and creamy.
Spread over the completely cooled cake. Garnish with additional toasted pecans or walnuts, if desired.
YIELD: Makes one 9-inch square cake
Cook’s Notes
- For the best flavor, use ripe, flavorful tomatoes rather than firm supermarket tomatoes.
- The tomato flavor becomes very subtle during baking. Its main role is to add moisture and tenderness while its natural acidity complements the brown sugar and warm spices.
- If your tomatoes are exceptionally watery, allow the purée to sit briefly and spoon off any obvious excess liquid before measuring.
- The unfrosted cake can be made a day ahead. Once frosted, store the cake covered in the refrigerator and bring it toward room temperature before serving.
