Tomato Soup Cake Makes 16 squares 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour ¼ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 2 teaspoons double-acting baking powder 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon ¾ teaspoon nutmeg ¼ teaspoon cloves 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process) 4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup granulated sugar 2 eggs graded “large” 1 10 ¾ ounce can Campbell’s tomato soup (undiluted) 4 ounces (1/2 cup, packed) pitted dates, cut into medium-size pieces (easiest to cut with scissors) 4 ounces (1 cup) walnut halves or pieces Adjust a rack one-third up from the bottom of the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees. But a 9-inch square cake pan. Dust it over with fine dry bread crumbs, then invert the pan over paper and tap lightly to shake out excess crumbs; set aside. Sift together the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and cocoa and set aside. In the large bowl of an electric mixer beat the butter until it is soft. Add the vanilla and sugar and beat to mix. Add the eggs one at a time and beat until incorporated after each addition. On low speed add half of the sifted dry ingredients, scraping the bowl and beating until incorporated. Then beat in the tomato soup. Finally add the remaining dry ingredients and beat until smooth. Remove the bowl from the mixer and stir in the dates and nuts. Turn into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for about 40 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from the oven. Either let the cake cool completely in the pan (if you are going to ice it in the pan, serve directly from the pan) or let stand for about 20 minutes, then cover with a rack, turn the pan and rack over, remove the pan, cover with a serving plate or a board and turn again, leaving the cake right side up to cool completely. Bittersweet Chocolate Icing Note: If you prefer a sweeter flavor you can substitute semisweet chocolate for all or part of the unsweetened chocolate. ½ cup whipping cream 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped coarse 5 ounces milk chocolate, chopped or broken coarse Place the cream in a small saucepan over moderate heat and let it cook, uncovered, until there is a slightly wrinkled skin on the top or small bubbles around the edge. Add the unsweetened chocolate and stir until it is almost all melted. Then add the milk chocolate, reduce the heat to low, and stir until completely melted. Transfer the mixture to the small bowl of an electric mixer. Beat at medium high speed for a minute or two until the mixture becomes beautifully smooth/shiny/thick. Then, without waiting, pour it onto the cake and quickly spread it over the top only with a long, narrow metal spatula. If you wish, form wide ridges in the icing, using the top of the spatula.