Mystery Cake
(from kylerhea’s recipe box)
This is from the Joy of Cooking article from the NYTimes magazine.
Source: JoC
Serves 8 peopleCategories: BAKED GOODS, CAKES
Ingredients
- For the cake:
- Cooking oil spray for greasing pans
- 2 cups of sifted flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 10 3/4 can condensed tomato soup
- 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
- 1 cup raisin
- Confectioners' sugar, optional
- For the frosting:
- 8 oz cream cheese, chilled
- 6 Tbs unsalted butter, softened
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 3 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
- Grated lemon or orange zest, ground cinnamon or any liquer to taste, optional
Directions
-
*Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt.
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*Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. On low speed, beat in the flour mixture in 3 parts, alternating with the tomato soup in 2 parts. Fold in the nuts and raisins. Spread the batter into the pan and smooth the top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan on a rack.
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*If you choose to make the frosting, combine the cream cheese, butter, vanilla and sugar in the bowl of a mixer and mix until just smooth and creamy. If the frosting is too stiff, beat for a few seconds longer, being careful not to overbeat it. If you choose, stir in the zest, cinnamon, or liquer.
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- To serve, remove the cake from the pan and either sprinkle with powdered sugar or cover with the frosting.
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