Delicious cake contains a ‘secret’ ingredient

Dear Heloise: My mother got a fabulous cake recipe from your mother many years ago. I remember that it had TOMATO SOUP in the cake batter and tasted so good. Could you reprint that recipe? —AmyR., Nashua, N.H.

Amy, this is a fun recipe! My mother, the original Heloise (1919-1977), also called it Conversation Cake, because you don’t tell anyone it contains tomato soup. After they taste it, it starts a conversation! Here we go:

MOTHER’S TOMATO SOUP CAKE

1/2 cup solid shortening 1 cup sugar

1 can tomato soup (10 1/2 ounces) — a little more won’t hurt

1 cup chopped nuts 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 cup raisins 11/2cupsflour

1 teaspoon baking powder

The following are optional, but they add spice. Do experiment with one or two first — but not all of them, unless you REALLY like spice! 11/2teaspoons nutmeg

2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon 1 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Cream shortening and sugar in a large bowl. Stir in one can of tomato soup (undiluted) and the rest of the ingredients, one at a time. Cream well after each addition. Grease a 10-inch square cake pan. Pour in the batter, and when the oven reaches 375 F, bake for 45 minutes.

When cake is done, remove from the oven. Loosen the edges with a knife. Turn onto a cake rack and let cool. Cream cheese icing works well with this cake. But don’t tell anyone that there is tomato soup in the cake until he or she has eaten it!

There’ s nothing like a homemade cake to make the perfect ending to a meal. — Heloise

Dear Heloise: Ibuya head of lettuce, and two days later it turns black. — Sue in Canton, Ohio

Sue, are you talking about iceberg lettuce in the bag from the store? If so, take it back!

In general, you should not wash lettuce, then store it for long periods of time. It’s best to “rinse” and dry lettuce just before using it. You can “wash” and dry well, then store in an airtight container or zippertop bag to use in a day or so, and the lettuce will be fine. — Heloise

Dear Heloise: Here’s a hint I haven’t seen before in your column: When I load silverware into the dishwasher, I separate it. I put forks with forks, spoons with other spoons, and so on. This makes it so much easier and faster when putting them away. — Heidi G., via email

Well, sorry to say, it’s best NOT to do this. If the utensils “nestle” together, they may not get really clean. The other term is “spooning,” as in two spoons nestled together. Just jumble them up! They get clean, and it’s only a few more seconds of your time. — Heloise