With its distinct multilayered presentation, Smith Island cake might just be the most flashy regional cake in the United States. Named after a group of three Island communities on the Chesapeake Bay (Tylerton, Ewell, and Rhodes Point) collectively called Smith Island, the layer cake is said to have been baked since the 1800s as a treat to eat during the island’s annual oyster harvest.
Characterized by thin layers of yellow cake layered with chocolate and covered in a blanket of ganache, the cake has withstood the test of time. This eight-layer recipe stays true to the classic and allows the flavors of cake and chocolate to shine. The multiple layers, while impressive, are quite doable: You’ll bake four cakes, then slice each in half to make 8 thin layers in total. (Don’t fret if you only have two cake pans; you can bake them in batches.) The chocolate frosting, made with cream, bittersweet chocolate, and a hit of salt, provides the perfect foil to the cake, enrobing it in a fudge-like coating that brings it all together. Serve it for birthdays, holidays, or anytime at all.