Smith Island Cake
intro
Maryland’s official state dessert, this iconic 8-layer yellow cake is coated in rich fudgy chocolate frosting for a tender, nostalgic, indulgent treat.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep oven and pans
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease eight 9-inch round cake pans with butter, line the bottom of each with a cut circle of parchment paper, and lightly dust the sides with flour to prevent sticking. If you do not own 8 pans, bake layers in batches, re-prepping pans between uses.
Mix yellow cake batter
In a large mixing bowl, cream 113g (1/2 cup) softened unsalted butter and 400g (2 cups) granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed for 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add 5 room-temperature large eggs one at a time, beating for 30 seconds after each addition, then stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, whisk 360g (3 cups) all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt. Alternate adding the dry mix and 240ml (1 cup) whole milk to the butter mixture in 3 batches, mixing on low speed just until no dry flour remains—do not overmix.
Bake thin cake layers
Measure 120ml (1/2 cup) of batter into each prepared pan, spreading it evenly into a thin, uniform layer across the pan bottom with an offset spatula. Bake for 8-10 minutes on the middle oven rack, until the edges are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let layers cool in pans for 5 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely to room temperature (about 30 minutes) before assembling.
Make fudge frosting
In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, melt 170g (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, then whisk in 85g (3/4 cup) unsweetened cocoa powder until smooth, cooking for 1 minute while stirring constantly. Remove the pan from heat, then gradually stir in 480g (4 cups) sifted confectioners’ sugar, 180ml (3/4 cup) evaporated milk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, stirring until the frosting is smooth, thick, and spreadable, with a glossy fudge-like consistency. Let the frosting cool for 10 minutes before use; it will thicken slightly as it sits.
Stack and fill layers
Place one fully cooled cake layer on a cake stand or serving plate. Spread 3 tablespoons of slightly warm fudge frosting evenly across the top of the layer, spreading all the way to the edges. Stack the next cake layer directly on top of the frosted layer, and repeat the frosting and stacking process with all remaining 7 layers, pressing gently on each new layer to keep the cake level and straight.
Frost and chill cake
Once all layers are stacked and filled, use the remaining fudge frosting to cover the top and outer sides of the entire cake, smoothing the surface with an offset spatula for an even, lightly textured finish. Refrigerate the assembled cake for 45 minutes to let the frosting set and the layers meld together, then let it rest at room temperature for 15 minutes before slicing into thin wedges to serve.
Tips
2.Ensure all cake layers are completely cooled to room temperature before adding frosting, as even slightly warm layers will melt the fudge frosting, causing it to slide and creating a lopsided, messy cake.
3.If your fudge frosting thickens too much as you work, warm it in 5-second increments in the microwave, or stir in 1 teaspoon of evaporated milk at a time, until it returns to a smooth, spreadable consistency.
OMG, I’ve been searching for a real Smith Island cake recipe for YEARS after having a slice at a Maryland wedding! This was so spot on, the thin fudgy icing between every layer is exactly what I remembered. Brought it to our church potluck last Sunday and people were begging for the recipe before I even left. Total game changer for holiday baking!
Took me a full 2 and a half hours total because I messed up the first two cake layers (oops, forgot to let the butter come to room temp!) but it turned out SO good. My kids devoured half the cake before dinner even hit the table. Only note: I wish the recipe had a tip for making sure the layers don’t stick to the pans, I lost a good chunk of the second one.
Made this for my roommate’s birthday since she’s from Maryland and she cried real tears when she tried it. Said it tasted exactly like the one her grandma makes every Christmas. I was nervous about stacking 8 thin layers as a total beginner baker but it was way easier than I thought once I got into a rhythm. 10/10 will make again for every special occasion from now on.
Flavor was incredible, don’t get me wrong, but this took way longer than the listed 2h15m for me. Between baking all those thin layers, letting them cool completely, making the icing, and stacking, I was in the kitchen for almost 3 and a half hours. Maybe I’m just slow? It was a hit at my family dinner but I don’t know if I have the time to make this on a random weeknight.
Brought this to our neighborhood block party and it won first place in the dessert contest! Beat out 17 other desserts, including my neighbor’s famous apple pie that’s won three years running. The chocolate fudge icing is so rich and not too sweet, it pairs perfectly with the tender yellow cake layers. Already got three texts from neighbors asking for the recipe link!
I swapped the all purpose flour for a 1:1 gluten free baking flour and it turned out shockingly good! I was worried the layers would be crumbly but they held up great when I stacked them. Only thing is the icing was a little runnier than I expected when I first put it on, but it set up perfectly after an hour in the fridge.
I’ve been making Smith Island cake for over 40 years, ever since my sister brought the recipe back from a trip to the Eastern Shore, and this is hands down the closest version to the original I’ve ever found online. The ratio of chocolate to evaporated milk in the icing is exactly right, not too thick, not too thin. My grandkids are going to lose their minds when they come over for Sunday dinner and see this on the counter.
Made this last weekend to have slices for weekday treats and it held up so well in the fridge! The layers stayed moist for a full 5 days, which I was shocked by. I did add a tiny splash of coffee to the chocolate icing to deepen the chocolate flavor, which I highly recommend if you’re a dark chocolate fan like me.
Wait a second, I just pulled my first batch of layers out of the oven and they’re way thinner than a regular cake layer—am I doing this right? I was expecting normal 1-inch thick layers but these are like 1/4 inch max. I don’t want to mess this up for my girlfriend’s anniversary dinner tonight!
SO good! I added a little shredded coconut between half the layers for a little twist and it was chef’s kiss. The sweet coconut paired so nicely with the deep chocolate icing, my whole family went back for second slices. Will be making this for our Thanksgiving dessert table this year, no question.
This was delicious, but man, it uses a lot of butter and eggs! I ran to the grocery store halfway through because I thought I had enough in the fridge and I definitely didn’t. Worth every penny though, my book club gobbled up every last crumb last night. Next time I’ll double check my ingredient list before I start baking, lesson learned.
Made this for our backcountry camping trip potluck and it traveled way better than I thought it would! I kept it in a hard sided cooler for 6 hours up the trail and it didn’t slide or get messy at all. Everyone at the campsite was raving about it, even the people who said they “don’t like cake” came back for a bite. Total win.
I entered this in our county fair baking contest and got second place! The judge said the icing was perfectly fudgy and the layers were baked evenly, which I was so proud of. The only reason I didn’t get first was because the winner had a fancy caramel drip decoration, but I think this tasted way better. Already planning to make it again next year with a little decorative flair to take the gold.
I wanted to love this so bad, but I think I messed up the icing? I used regular drinking oat milk instead of evaporated milk because I’m dairy free and the icing never got thick and fudgy, it just stayed runny even after I let it cool. The cake layers were great though, light and buttery, so I’ll definitely try again with a canned dairy free evaporated milk substitute next time.
My daughter asked for a Smith Island cake for her 10th birthday after seeing a TikTok about Maryland state foods, and this recipe did not disappoint. She said it was “the best cake she’s ever had” and even asked for a second slice for breakfast the next morning (don’t judge, it was her birthday). 10/10, dad win for sure.
I love that this recipe doesn’t use any fancy gimmicks or trendy ingredients, it’s just classic, old-fashioned cake done right. So many recipes online try to “update” Smith Island cake with weird fillings or fancy frostings, but this is the real deal. The cooked chocolate fudge icing is exactly what I remember from my childhood trips to the Eastern Shore.