Recipe: Joy of Cooking Mystery Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting (spice cake using tomato soup, nuts, and

MYSTERY CAKE

FOR THE CAKE:
2 cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed tomato soup
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1 cup raisins
confectioner's sugar (optional)
FOR THE FROSTING (OPTIONAL):
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, chilled
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted
Grated lemon or orange zest, ground cinnamon or any liqueur to taste (optional)

TO MAKE THE CAKE:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 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.

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.

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 liqueur.

TO SERVE:
Remove the cake from the pan and either sprinkle with confectioner's sugar or cover with the frosting.

Servings: 8
Adapted from source: The Joy of Cooking, 2006 by Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker, and Ethan Becker