Smith Island Ten-Layer Cake

"This is a recipe I got from our local newscast from the lady named Mary Ida, who makes them here in Md. She states that you can make the cake layers as thin or thick as you like them, it's all in your taste. You can also use any type of icing...strawberry creme, german chocolate, peach creme, etc., but she used the icing below the most. Times below are estimates...I have not personally made this cake yet...Yet! lol I will have to make 4 layers at a time since I only have 4 cake pans, and I'll probably be making mine an 8 layer) so that's how I got 24 min. cook time. If you make the layers thicker, they'll of course have to bake longer."
 
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photo by DianaEatingRichly photo by DianaEatingRichly
photo by DianaEatingRichly
photo by DianaEatingRichly photo by DianaEatingRichly
photo by DianaEatingRichly photo by DianaEatingRichly
photo by DianaEatingRichly photo by DianaEatingRichly
photo by Benjamaphone photo by Benjamaphone
Ready In:
39mins
Ingredients:
14
Yields:
1 cake
Serves:
16
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ingredients

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directions

  • Cream together sugar and butter. Add eggs one at a time and beat until smooth.
  • Sift together flour, salt and baking powder.
  • Mix into egg mixture one cup at a time.
  • With mixer running, slowly pour in the evaporated milk, then the vanilla and water. Mix just until uniform.
  • Put three serving spoonfuls of batter in each of ten 9-inch lightly greased pans, using the back of the spoon to spread evenly.
  • Bake three layers at a time on the middle rack of the oven at 350° for 8 minutes. A layer is done when you hold it near your ear and you don't hear it sizzle.
  • Start making the icing when the first layers go in the oven.
  • Put the cake together as the layers are finished.
  • Let layers cool a couple of minutes in the pans. Run a spatula around the edge of the pan and ease the layer out of the pan. Don't worry if it tears; no one will notice when the cake is finished.
  • Use two and three serving spoonfuls of icing between each layer.
  • Cover the top and sides of the cake with the rest of the icing. Push icing that runs onto the plate back onto the cake.
  • Directions for Icing:.
  • Put sugar and evaporated milk in a medium pan. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until warm. Add chocolate and cook to melt. Add butter and melt. Cook over medium heat at a slow boil for 10 to 15 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add vanilla. Icing will be thin but thickens as it cools.

Questions & Replies

  1. You say 3 serving spoonfuls. How much is that????
     
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Reviews

  1. The cake looks impressive, but I wasn't crazy about it. The super thin layers end up getting a bit dry, and the frosting was a little strange. I let it cool a bit to thicken up before using it, but then it got too thick by the end. I ended up just making some chocolate ganache to pour over the top.
     
  2. This is same recipe that was in the Washingtonpost Newpaper in 4/2008. It is the Maryland State Dessert Now. I had it at the Frances Kitching,an innkeeper on the island who called for the cake to be 10 layers, as it is in this recipe. MAKE IT YOU WILL LOVE IT!! 10 STARS ( I was going to post it ) See smithisland.con
     
  3. The icing recipe is out of whack, it made more of a chocolate sauce, than a icing or a glaze, i used probably less than a quarter of the total amount of icing, 24 oz of evaporated milk and 2lbs of powdered sugar makes way too much of this chocolate sauce for the cake.<br/>The cake recipe was fantastic though, made 8 layers with no problems, all came out nice and level, I was happily suprised with that.<br/>Next time I will use the same cake recipe, but choose a different icing for a better presentation.<br/>Instead of a impressive cake I ended up with what looked like a large stack of pancakes covered in syrup.
     
  4. Very good custard-like batter which bakes into a dense delicious yellow cake. I didn't have many pans, only a nice cast iron pan. So instead of of doing the traditional 9-10 layers, I opted to make 4 thick, moist layers. I adjusted the cooking temperature to 400F and increased the baking time to about 11 minutes. The sauce/icing really does firm up as long as you boil most of the water out. Moist Cake + Gooey Chocolaty Icing = Awesome!
     
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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

I live in Baltimore Md, but I miss my good ole' West Virginia!! I'm a mom of 3 beautiful, wonderful girls who brighten my days and causes my grays! lol I have a wonderful, patient husband, who doesn't mind being a guinea pig for new recipes (well, some things I have to really beg for him to try! Lol). I LOVE to bake, especially around the holidays!! Thanks to Recipezaar I've dabbled with candy making and have had many requests (and reorders) since then! For Christmas gifts I've started making gift baskets of goodies instead of store bought things, which EVERYONE (in-laws included) in my family is extremely grateful for. They get a taste of home-cooking goodness without having to lift a finger! lol I love to garden and I'm learning how to can/preserve the things I grow and the things I get great deals on at the supermarket. I am also interested in recipes having to do with homemade things (like extracts, seasonings, syrups, mixes etc.) I've realized it cuts down on spending and it is usually healthier than store bought. I'm always on the lookout for great appetizers for football season (GO RAVENS!!). I'm not sure if my brother and sister in law come over for football or the things I make to snack on for football! Lol :oP <img src="http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e347/Saturn6666/Other/tagforpage1.jpg"> <img src="http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y164/lauralie41/swapbanner.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"> Partner ~ Chef #157425 <img src="http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j10/housedaughter/candy.jpg"> International Candy Swap (2007) ~ Chef #422893 <a href="http://s224.photobucket.com/albums/dd235/MidwestMaven/?action=view&current=cookieswapparticip.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd235/MidwestMaven/cookieswapparticip.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket">Holiday Cookie Swap 2008 <a href="http://s224.photobucket.com/albums/dd235/MidwestMaven/?action=view&current=09holidayparticipationbanner.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd235/MidwestMaven/09holidayparticipationbanner.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket">
 
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