Monday, September 27, 2010

Chocolate Tomato Cake with Mystery Ganache and Campbell's Soup Contest




 What a coincidence! Heavenly Cake Bakers made Rose's Chocolate Tomato Cake with Mystery Ganache containing Campbell's soup and this was on Cake Wrecks.  Considering Campbell's makes 237 kinds of soups, it got me to thinking.  Which soup would I choose to put in a cake for a corporate commission?  It could only be tomato

                           .

But wait!  Campbell's Soup is having a big contest.

Rose's cake reminded me of Playmobil's toy fort. It would be fun to replicate this for a little boy's birthday.



It also brought back fond childhood.memories when my mother got wind of the latest cake fad.  Naturally, she and the other neighborhood ladies had a go at it.  We kids were aghast.  Tomatoes or no tomatoes, we couldn't let chocolate cake pass us by and to our amazement, there wasn't any tomato flavor at all.   One of my all time favorite cook books, White Trash Cooking, lists Mater Cake which is, I suppose, code for tomato-soup-in-cake-but-no one-will-suspect-a-thing.

My daughter remembered her American Girl Cookbook explained the use of tomato soup in baked goods.  Molly, the doll representing World War II era, had a recipe using tomato soup in brown bread with the explanation bakers added it for extra nutrients.  Rose's cake gives new definition to Healthy Request!





Campbell's has a manufacturing plant  in my hometown.  When the delta breeze kicks in, we can tell which soup is being stirred up.

This was without a doubt, one of the easier cakes to make in Rose's Heavenly Cakes.  The hardest part was  fending off the grandkids from wanting "just one more" Piroette cookie.   I haven't bought any in years and the price increase gave me a bit of sticker shock.

The batter is the fluffiest to date.  I weighed half into a cake pan and turned the rest into cupcakes.


The ganache was made with Ghirardelli 60% chocolate chips and Raymond's One Bowl Method.  It worked perfectly.  I could not add the tomato soup.  I rationalized, reasoned and generally chastised myself then compromised with a tablespoon.  I think Nancy B was a guardian angel.




The cupcakes were done in thirty minutes.  The cake took a long time to bake.

Frosting with the ganache and spackling the cookies to the side was a breeze.  I cut the cookies in half and got away with just one can.  Waste not want not, or in my case eat the left overs, I scattered the bits and pieces over the top.




There is absolutely no trace of tomato flavor in this cake or ganache.  It's moist and light.  The Piroettes are ultra flaky and to my surprise, doesn't compete with the texture.  So far everyone likes it.  No one guessed correctly the "mystery" ingredient.

"This is wonderful!"

Even a new generation of kids think it's a really good chocolate cake.


7 comments:

  1. I love how you auto-talked yourself out of putting the tomato in the ganache! I talked myself out of doing the whole thing!

    Looks good, love how you crumble the cookies.

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  2. LOL!!! Great post! Made me laugh first thing in the morning! :) Me too, i love how you turn them into a cake and cupcakes and crumble the cookies onto the cupcakes!

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  3. Looks really good -- very nice decoration.

    I have to say that I can't stand canned tomato soup and would have been unable to buy a can for love or money.

    Kathleen

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  4. What a fun post! I love the cake wreck can of tomato soup, absolutely perfect for our week with Rose. I had trouble with keeping hubby out of those cookies more then anyone else. Your cake looks delicious and chocolaty and so do your cupcakes, great idea!

    I am going to have to see how Raymond does the one bowl ganache. I am getting tired of washing so many dishes after each of these cakes. I was suppose to start my broiche sponge today. Have to tomorrow, which means oodles more dishes =).

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  5. Are you readying up for Rose's pineapple and broiche cups? I just finished making the dough yesterday and enjoyed how easy the dough is to put together. Just a lot of little steps then sitting for 1 1/2 hour intervals. I bake the broiche today and look for my fresh pineapple. Happy Friday and talk to you soon, Shandy

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  6. Your cake looks terrific, I love those rolled cookies!. I'm only sorry I did not join in this week.

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  7. Vicki, those gourgeres are very do-able and you so have this one! I know it. I'll send you good thoughts the whole afternoon just to make sure. =) Hugs, Shandy

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