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This homemade green tomato cake with cream cheese frosting has 4 cups of GREEN tomatoes in it! That’s right – I said green tomatoes. I know it sounds strange, but you have to try this cake recipe. It tastes just like a spice cake and is incredibly moist. Plus, it has vegetables in it, so in my mind, it’s a healthier version of cake.

green tomato cake with cream cheese frosting on a white plate

Why Pick Your Green Tomatoes?

When temperatures drop below freezing, your tomato plants will become stunted and the tomatoes will stop growing. Even temperatures below 50F your tomato plant will start to show problems. Before the first frost of the season, we pick all the tomatoes in their varying degrees of ripeness.

Green tomatoes will eventually start to ripen indoors, but I don’t think they taste quite like vine-ripened tomatoes. There are still plenty of recipes you can prepare with green tomatoes, like fried green tomatoes, tomato soup or this incredible spice cake. Whatever you do, don’t waste those green tomatoes!

Plated green tomato cake with cream cheese frosting and bowl of green tomatoes

Frosting the Green Tomato Cake

This green tomato cake is incredible with our simple 3-ingredient homemade cream cheese frosting recipe. If you have a stand mixer, this frosting is quick and easy to make. You can also use a store-bought frosting if you want to simplify the recipe. Either way, make sure to cool the cake completely before frosting and refrigerate any leftovers (if there are any).

Slice of green tomato cake with cream cheese frosting on white plate

If you have a bumper crop and find yourself with extra tomatoes, zucchini or cucumbers, try one of these 20 bumper crop recipes. It’s a great way to use up all the garden produce in the fall. If you love fall desserts, check out these 12 amazing fall dessert recipes.

Green Tomato Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

An incredibly moist and delicious cake with green tomatoes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Green Tomato Cake
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 12 servings
Author Nicole

Ingredients

Cake

  • 4 cups chopped green tomatoes
  • 1 Tbsp salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp cloves
  • 1 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts optional

Frosting

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temp
  • 8 oz cream cheese room temp
  • 2 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

Cake

  • Place tomatoes in bowl and cover with salt for 15 minutes. Drain and rinse well.
  • Cream butter and sugar, add eggs one at a time. Beat until creamy. Add dry ingredients and nuts. Fold in tomatoes.
  • Pour into greased 13×9 pan. Bake at 350F for 40 minutes.
  • Cool completely before frosting.

Frosting

  • Cream together butter and cream cheese. Slowly add powdered sugar and beat until your desired frosting consistency.
  • Frost cake when it is cooled. Store leftovers in fridge.
green tomato cake

Nicole is the founder of this website and mom of 3 kids, including a teenager. She cooks simple meals, follows a budget, clips coupons, and enjoys helping others ‘live well on less’. You can find her on InstagramFacebook or Pinterest.

If you love this, check out more recipes:
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{ 8 comments… add one }
  • Toni October 29, 2020, 11:10 am

    Delicious cake, very rich and heavy!!! I did make mine in layers and altered the recipe a little. All in all this is worth making and having with a cup of coffee. I would recommend if you are not into sweet sweet sweet cakes (smile) cut your slice small. I will make a couple of changes next time but this is a good cake. Also people who are new to baking in the ingredients where it is listed 1 tsp cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg that does not mean you add additional cloves and nutmeg that is 1 tsp each. Nicole thank you for sharing that is a delicious cake and I will make it again.

    Reply
    • Nicole October 29, 2020, 11:49 am

      I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe! it sounds heavenly with a cup of coffee.

      Reply
  • Jaswant Basra October 9, 2021, 10:03 pm

    Not sure…if supposed to put cut tomatoes in salt then rinse, then not much will be left of tomatoes. Can you please clarify. Thank you so much. I have lot of tomatoes so want to try this receipe

    Reply
    • Nicole October 12, 2021, 7:58 pm

      Yes. You dice the tomatoes first, cover in salt for 15 minutes, then rinse. This will draw out the moisture in the tomatoes and make it suitable for baking. Enjoy the recipe. It’s one of our favorites!

      Reply
  • Dixie Babcock November 2, 2021, 10:14 pm

    Should the green tomatoes be peeled before dicing and using in the cake.

    Reply
    • Nicole November 4, 2021, 10:51 am

      No need to peel the tomatoes! Just dice them up.

      Reply
  • Sandy RENTSCHLER October 17, 2022, 8:50 pm

    I made this today.
    OMG…. sooo good!!!
    I adjusted as follows….used brown sugar instead of white, added almond flavoring to frosting.
    Instead of wondering how i wiuld use all my green tomatoes now I’m wishing I had lots more.

    Reply
  • Corina September 16, 2023, 6:22 pm

    I just made this green tomatoe cake!! It is so delicious!!! 🙂

    Reply

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