Green tomato cake with cream cheese frosting uses 4 cups of unripe green tomatoes baked into it. Despite its unconventional use of tomatoes, it tastes like a moist coffee cake! It’s a perfect treat for anyone who wants to use up their garden green tomatoes!
Green Tomato Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
You are going to love this unique recipe that uses green tomatoes! I hate seeing green tomatoes go to waste, so this is one of our favorite late harvest recipes to use them up (besides fried green tomatoes, green tomato salsa and green tomato relish). Why is it so good?
- Green tomato cake is a great way to use up unripe or surplus green tomatoes from your garden or local farmers’ market. It allows you to make the most of the ingredients you have on hand, reducing waste and adding a touch of creativity to your baking.
- The moisture content of the green tomatoes (and their juices) keep the cake moist and tender. The finely chopped tomatoes blend into the batter, contributing to a soft and moist texture.
- The cream cheese frosting!!! It’s so rich and creamy. If my kids are happy to eat green tomato cake, then so will you! 😉
How to Make Green Tomato Cake
Grease a 9×13 baking pan.
Chop up 4 cups of green tomatoes (no need to peel them), keeping both the tomatoes and juices. Don’t drain them!
If you want the tomatoes to be super tiny, specks of green, you can purée the tomatoes to be even smaller instead of chopping them up with a knife. Just make sure to use both the tomatoes and juice!
Make the cake batter by first mixing together vegetable oil, sugar and eggs. In another mix together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, salt and chopped walnuts. Mix these 2 bowls together.
Add in green tomatoes (and juices) and mix.
Pour this mixture into the baking pan.
Bake until a tooth pick comes out clean, this cake takes around 45-50 minutes.
Allow to cool. While the cake is cooling, make the cream cheese frosting using cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla and milk.
Once the cake is cool, add frosting and frost the cake.
Cut into slices and enjoy!
How to Frost the Cake
Here are simple directions on how to frost the cake with yummy cream cheese frosting!
- Ensure that your cake is completely cooled. Warm cakes can cause the frosting to melt or become runny.
- Using a butter knife or an offset spatula, take a generous amount of the cream cheese frosting and place it on top of the cake.
- Start spreading the frosting from the center and work your way towards the edges, using smooth, even strokes.
- Continue spreading the frosting until the entire cake is covered. Smooth out any uneven areas or air bubbles with the spatula.
- If desired, you can use a clean spatula or a butter knife to create decorative patterns or swirls on the frosting.
- Slice and serve this delicious green tomato cake!
How to Store
Green tomato cake can typically be kept in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
- Allow the cake to cool completely before storing. If you try to store it while still warm, it can make the cake soggy.
- Cover the cake with plastic wrap to ensure it’s fully covered. If you want, you can also cut it into individual slices and store them separately.
- Place in the refrigerator and use within 4-5 days.
Recipe Help
- Don’t have walnuts? Use pecans or pistachios instead.
- Nut allergy? Skip the walnuts or add raisins instead.
- Don’t want to make frosting? Sprinkle powdered sugar on top or make a simple lemon icing.
- Want frosting but not cream cheese frosting? Make my buttercream frosting, or buy pre-made frosting at the grocery store.
Pin for later:
Green Tomato Cake
PrintIngredients
For the cake:
- 4 cups green tomatoes finely chopped
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 cups white sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
For the cream cheese frosting:
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 3 1/2 cups confectioners powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9×13 baking pan with nonstick spray.
- Finely chop the tomatoes up, saving both the tomatoes and juices. Don't drain them – keep the juice!
- In a large bowl cream together vegetable oil and sugar. Add in eggs and continue mixing.
- In a large bowl mix together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt. Add walnuts to bowl and mix more. Pour this mixture into the vegetable oil/sugar bowl and mix until well combined.
- Add green tomatoes (and their juices) into the bowl and mix once more. Pour this mixture into the baking pan.
- Bake for 50-55 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Now let’s make the frosting!
- Add cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla and milk into a bowl and use a electric mixer to blend all together, until frosting becomes fluffy.
- Using a spatula or butter knife, take a generous amount of frosting and place it on top of the cake. Start spreading the frosting from the center and work your way towards the edges to frost the cake.
- Cut into slices and serve this delicious green tomato cake!
Terri Dormer says
My neighbor down the road had a HUGE beautiful garden every year with lots of tomatoes, therefore she also had lots of green tomatoes too. She made us a green tomato pie that was so incredibly delicious! When I asked her for the recipe she said you make it just like an apple pie but add a little more sugar. My husband even liked it and he HATES tomatoes!! You should try it, I’m pretty sure you’d love it too!!
Susan Schwartz says
Thank you so much for the information
Susan E. Schwartz says
I want to try this but you didn’t say if you peel the tomatoes?
Pamela Reed says
That’s a great question, you don’t need to peel them. I added it to the post for future reference too. Thanks for stopping by – enjoy the cake! 🙂