Smith Island Cake

Maryland's official state dessert is a stunning nine-layer cake that looks far more intimidating than it actually is—thin, delicate cake layers bake quickly and the poured chocolate fudge icing does all the decorative work for you.

Ingredients:

• 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ cup butter, softened
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• ½ cup whole milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• For the icing: 6 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
• ½ cup butter
• ¼ cup cocoa powder
• ⅓ cup milk
• 2 cups powdered sugar

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour nine 8-inch round cake pans (or reuse pans, wiping between batches).
2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, alternating with milk and vanilla until combined.
4. Fold in flour mixture gently.
5. Divide batter evenly among pans and bake 8–10 minutes per batch until golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
6. For icing: melt chocolate and butter together, whisk in cocoa and milk, then beat in powdered sugar until smooth.
7. Stack cooled layers, pouring icing between each one and over the top.

Full recipe at Sally's Baking Addiction →

Chef's tip: Use an offset spatula and a lazy Susan to spread the icing smoothly between layers—it transforms the whole experience and makes you feel like a pastry pro.