Chocolate Tomato Happy Birthday Cake!

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups AP flour (or 1 3/4 cups plus 2 T cake flour)
• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup cocoa
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 can condensed tomato soup
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1 tsp vanilla

Icing Ingredients

• 2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• Optional: 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

Preparation

• Sift together first 6 ingredients.
• Add next 5 ingredients, and beat on medium speed for 6 minutes.
• Pour into a greased and floured 9x13 pan or 2 round cake pans.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 mins. (start checking after 30 mins if making rounds)

 

Icing Preparation

• Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl until light and fluffy.
• Gradually beat in powdered sugar. Beat in lemon peel and vanilla. 
• Cover and refrigerate until just firm enough to spread, about 30 minutes.

First time we tried this recipe was: for Nicholas' birthday celebration on Thursday, March 20, 2014!