Coffee Glazed Chocolate Tomato Loaf Cake

Adding tomatoes to the sweet baked goods is nothing new. Think about zucchini, sweet potato and pumpkin in the baked goods that you have been seeing and enjoying. As you probably know, tomatoes are botanically a fruit and they are sweet and juicy. So using tomatoes in chocoalte cakes or muffins is just as naturally as using bananas and carrots in cakes. Bakers having been using tomatoes for at least the past 50 years to enrich the flavour of baked goods and help the texture stay soft for longer. This chocolate loaf cake is rich with melted chocolate, butter, olive oil, eggs and cocoa powder, using tomato paste and juice to enhance the flavour and texture. If a loaf doesn't feel like a cake to you, feel free to use a muffin pan, or a round cake pan. While the coffee glaze is not absolutely necessary, but the intense and robust flavour of coffee pairs perfectly with dark chocolate.

Coffee Glazed Chocolate Tomato Loaf Cake

adapted from Good Food

Cake Batter	Coffee Glaze
160 g Tomato juice 30 g Tomato paste 150 g Brown sugar (or up to 300 g if you prefer sweeter) 2 tsp Vanilla extract 50 g Unsalted butter 50 g Dark chocolate with 70% cocoa content 50 g Olive oil 4 Eggs (60 g each) 200 g Plain flour 50 g Dutch-processed cocoa powder 1 tsp Baking powder	25 g Boiling water 1 tsp Instant coffee powder 1/2 tsp Ground coffee beans 1 tsp Vanilla extract 200 g Icing sugar

Line a 8-9 inch / 20-22cm loaf pan with baking paper and heat the oven to 180C/350F. Put the tomato juice, tomato paste, brown sugar and vanilla in a bowl and whisk until smooth. Melt the butter, dark chocolate and olive oil together gently then whisk this in, followed by the eggs, whisking in one at a time until smooth.
Sift in the flour, cocoa and baking powder then fold this through evenly without over-mixing. Spread the batter into the prepared pan, then bake for 25-30 minutes until a skewer poked in the centre comes out clean. Or divide the mixture between 10 muffin papers, filled almost to the top, then bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Cool the loaf cake on a cooling rack until cold before icing.
To make the coffee glaze, pour the boiling water into a small bowl and dissolve both the instant and ground coffee in it. Stir in the vanilla and icing sugar and mix until smooth. Adjust the consistency with a drop more water if it's too thick. Then spoon this over loaf cake and leave to set.

29 comments:

Brian's Home Blog 8/9/22 00:19: I could sure go for several slices of that, it looks so good!
Anonymous 8/9/22 05:56: Tomato! -interesting -Christine cmlk79.blogspot.com
Margaret D 8/9/22 05:59: That's a different one, well for me anyway and it looks delicious.
Sherry's Pickings 8/9/22 07:01: such wonderful and clever flavours angie. yes i have seen old-fashioned tomato cakes on Youtube. Sounds odd but tastes great apparently. as you say, they are fruit after all.
Irma 8/9/22 10:47: Oh that looks really lovely.
Greetings Irma
Anonymous 8/9/22 12:36: This is such a different idea, at least for me. But I am definitely going to try it. Thanks, Angie.
Nancy Chan 8/9/22 13:34: The loaf cake looks beautiful and yummy. Tomato sounds interesting and I would love to have a piece.
DEZMOND 8/9/22 13:56: Well, tomato is a fruit so it makes sense, and yet it doesn't make sense at all LOL I did even put spinach in my sponges to make them green.
Whats Cookin Italian Style Cuisine 8/9/22 14:12: Delicious combination of flavors!
Norma2 8/9/22 16:40: There are no recipes to use tomato in pastry and it is a great idea that you present it to us. I love tomato jam (which is not seen on the networks either), on toast with butter.
Kisses Angie
Kitchen Riffs 8/9/22 16:47: I've read about tomato in cakes like this, but have never made one. Or tasted one, for that matter! Gotta correct that and make this -- neat recipe. Thanks!
speedy70 8/9/22 17:58: Assolutamente da provare, grazie!!!
Pam 8/9/22 18:29: Cool & interesting combination. Yum!
kathyinozarks 9/9/22 02:11: Looks like a delicious recipe
J.P. Alexander 9/9/22 03:54: Parece un rico y diferente pastel Te mando un beso.
Javier 9/9/22 11:34: For me, using tomatoes to make a cake, is completely new!
roentare 9/9/22 12:15: This one looks delish for sure. Thanks for the recipe!
Medeja- CranberryJam 9/9/22 13:33: This made me curious :) the loaf looks nice and moist
thepaintedapron.com 9/9/22 14:47: I've not heard of baking sweet good with tomatoes, but it does make sense as I know how magical zucchini can be...plus adding chocolate and coffee, I'm all in!
foodtravelandwine 9/9/22 16:40: This is heaven!!....it has good Italian roots (chocolate nd tomato)....I need an espresso please!.....Abrazotes, Marcela
Valentina 9/9/22 20:37: You are so right -- we bake with so many fruits and vegetables, so tomatoes are a natural fit for this. Can't wait to give it a go! :-) ~Valentina
Pam 9/9/22 21:35: Sounds good to me, Angie. Love the coffee and chocolate combo, and I'm curious how it would taste with tomato flavor. Interesting!
Whats Cookin Italian Style Cuisine 10/9/22 00:26: Wow what great flavors chocolate is a favorite sounds perfect!
Rainbow Evening 10/9/22 17:22: your cake makes me hungry.... yummy
Anonymous 11/9/22 03:55: Adding tomatoes may not be new, but I have never heard of it before! It is really different and unusual. The coffee and chocolate flavors sound really good and it certainly looks moist! It's Judee
Happy Retiree's Kitchen 14/9/22 00:45: Angie I've never used tomato in cakes, but indeed why not. Love the look of this one, and the coffee glaze has the wow factor. Great recipe, thanks
Muriel 14/9/22 23:37: Je connaissais avec d'autres légumes, mais j'avoue que l'idée de la tomate me rend curieuse... Bonne fin de soirée
My name is Erika. 18/9/22 14:22: This looks and sounds fantastic Angie. I'm going to print this off as I'll be probably processing tomatoes this week. My tomatoes are so late getting red this year. Happy rest of your weekend. Hugs-Erika
tigerfish 21/9/22 03:18: Have not tried a loaf cake with tomato paste mixed in. Wonder if the taste of tomato paste is subtle for me to even know it's in there.