Green tomato cake must be the weirdest thing I’ve ever cooked — much stranger even than the first squid I ever cleaned in 1992 in a tiny apartment kitchen in Blacksburg, Virginia. At least I had The Frugal Gourmet to coach me through that one.
So how did I get the idea to bake a green tomato cake? A dare, of course.
My editor, a confirmed Southerner who adores everything made from homegrown tomatoes, was leaving to take a new job.
As part of his going away party, we were all asked to bring a potluck dish starring tomatoes. I was asked to do a dessert.
“Can you make a tomato cake?” they asked.
“What?! I’ve never heard of such a thing!” I said.
I thought they were crazy.
I had in mind I would make tomato pudding, a Southern cafeteria staple and one of my favorite childhood dishes. But I got curious and Googled “tomato cake.” I was floored when my browser retrieved nearly 7,000 references to “tomato cake,” and number one on that list was green tomato cake.
In retrospect, I probably shouldn’t be surprised. Tomatoes are technically a fruit, and cooking unripe ones accentuates their sweetness. According to about.com, green tomato cake is considered a specifically Southern food, and Food Network star Paula Deen, of course, has a recipe for it. The best versions of this cake use a spice cake base and mix the green tomatoes with fruit and nuts.
It’s surprisingly good, although I doubt I’ll use my green tomatoes to make cake. Who would do that when you can fry them?
Try my recipe for Can’t Believe This is Tomato Cake…
Tags: cake, dessert, fruit, green tomatoes, nuts, spice cake
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