Spicy Green Tomato Cake

Although I have yet to actually try doing Green Fried Tomatoes, I thought I'd check around and see if there were some dessert uses for them. I'm okay with odd as long as the end result  doesn't taste weird. This one is definitely going to go into my oven today.

Spicy Green Tomato Cake

4 cups pureed green tomatoes

1 tablespoon salt

1/2 cup butter - not margarine

2 cups granulated sugar

2 eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 tablespoon grated orange zest

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup raisins - optional

1/2 cup chopped nuts - optional

Directions

Place chopped tomatoes in a bowl and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon salt. Let stand 10 minutes. Place in a colander, rinse with cold water, drain, rinse, and puree. 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees  and grease a  9x13 inch baking pan.
2. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and beat until creamy.
3. Sift together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, orange zest, vanilla, soda and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add raisins and nuts to dry mixture; add dry ingredients to creamed mixture. Dough will be  stiff. Mix well.
4. Add drained tomatoes and mix well. Pour into the prepared 9 x 13 inch pan.
5. Bake for approximatley 40 to 45 minutes in the preheated oven, or until toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean.

Ideas . . .
I'm thinking a tart lemon glaze would be good on this cake.
Pecans for the nuts would bring it up a notch.
Dried cranberries instead of raisins might add some flare.