Smith Island Ten-Layer Cake The Washington Post, April 23, 2008 * Cuisine: American * Course: Dessert Summary:

Some folks believe it was the late Frances Kitching, an innkeeper on the island, who called for the cake to be 10 layers, as it is in this recipe. 16 servings Ingredients: For the cake * plus * * * * * * * * 8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into chunks; more for greasing the pans 3 cups flour 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 2 cups sugar 5 large eggs 1 cup evaporated milk 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1/2 cup water

For the icing * * * * * 2 cups sugar 1 cup evaporated milk 5 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped 4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter 1/2 to 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions: For the cake: Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven; preheat to 350 de grees. Use butter to lightly grease ten 9-inch cake pans, or use 2 or 3 cake pan s at a time and re-grease them as needed. Sift together the flour, salt and baking powder. Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer or hand-held electric mixer; beat on medium speed until light and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time; beat until smooth. Reduce the speed to low and add the sifted dry ingredients 1 cup at a time; beat until incorporated. Still on low speed, add the evaporated m ilk, then the vanilla and water, beating until well combined. Place 3 serving spoonfuls of batter in each of the cake pans (about 2/3 cup); us e the back of the spoon to spread it evenly. Bake 2 or 3 layers at a time on the middle oven rack for 8 to 9 minutes. (A layer is done when you hold it near you r ear and do not hear it sizzle.) While the cakes are baking, make the icing: Combine the sugar and evaporated mil k in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the chocolate and butter; warm through, stirring, until both have melted. Increase the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the v anilla extract, stirring to combine. The icing will be thin but will thicken as it cools.

As the cake layers are done, run a spatula around the edge of the pan and ease o ut the layers. Let them cool. Place the bottom layer on a cake plate; spread 2 o r 3 spoonfuls of icing on each layer. (Don't worry if a layer tears; no one will notice when the cake is finished.) Cover the top and sides of the cake with the remaining icing; push any icing that runs onto the plate back onto the cake. I made this recipe using 6-inch cake pans. It made enough for two 9-layer cakes. Instead of the icing in the recipe I made a chocolate glaze (6 oz semi-sweet ch ocolate, 2/3C heavy cream, 1 T light corn syrup) which was enough for one 6-inch 9-layer cake. When I cut into the cake everyone's jaws dropped. They were amaze d by the look of the perfectly straight layers of yellow cake and alternating la yers of chocolate. It was so rich that a small slice will do. One 6-inch cake ea sily serves 6 people with a nice scoop of ice cream on the side. So instead of of doing the traditional 9-10 layers, I opted to make 4 thick, moi st layers. I adjusted the cooking temperature to 400F and increased the baking t ime to about 11 minutes Kendall Barrett's Smith Island Cupcakes The Washington Post, April 23, 2008 * Cuisine: American * Course: Dessert Summary: With six to eight layers in a single cupcake, ganache in between them and a glos sy chocolate glaze to coat them, these modern versions of Smith Island cakes are sure to please. For best results, make the cupcakes and ganache 1 day in advance; the cupcakes w ill be easier to cut into thin layers. The ganache can remain covered at room te mperature or can be covered and refrigerated. Allow to come to room temperature before using. The Lewes Dairy brand of heavy cream that baker Kendall Barrett prefers is avail able at some Whole Foods Markets. Makes 18 regular-size cupcakes or 9 large cupcakes Ingredients: For the cupcakes * 2 3/4 cups flour, preferably King Arthur All-Purpose Flour * 1 3/4 teaspoons plus 1/8 teaspoon baking powder * 1/4 teaspoon salt * 8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, preferably Plugra brand, at room temp erature * 2 cups sugar * 4 large eggs * 2 teaspoons vanilla extract * 1 cup whole milk, at room temperature For the simple syrup * 1 cup water * 1 cup sugar * Flavoring, such as Grand Marnier (optional) For the chocolate ganache

* 1 pound semisweet chocolate, preferably Valrhona, chopped * 2 cups heavy cream, preferably Lewes Dairy brand For the chocolate glaze * * * * 8 6 1 5 ounces semisweet chocolate, preferably Valrhona, chopped tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, preferably Plugra brand tablespoon light corn syrup teaspoons water

Directions: For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degees. Line regular-size cupcake pans with paper liners. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer or use a hand-held ele ctric mixer; beat on medium speed for several minutes until light and fluffy. Ad d the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla extract; after they have been well in corporated, beat on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes until well incorporated. Reduce the speed to low and add about 1/3 of the sifted dry ingredients; beat un til combined and then add 1/3 of the milk. Alternate additions of the remaining wet and dry ingredients, stopping often to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Do not overmix, which can toughen the cupcakes. Divide the batter among the cupcake liners and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or unti l the tops of the cupcakes spring back when touched. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Cover loosely until ready to assemble. For the simple syrup: Combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan over high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat and let cool. Add flavoring, if desired. For the ganache: Have ready a large roasting pan or hotel pan. Place the chocolate in a large heatproof bowl. Bring the cream to a boil over medium-high heat in a heavy-bottomed medium sauce pan. Remove from the heat and pour over the chocolate; stir until well incorpora ted to form a ganache. Pour into the roasting pan or hotel pan, spreading it eve nly so the ganache cools naturally, quickly and completely. When ready to assemble, make the chocolate glaze: Heat about 1 inch of water in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Place a medium stainless-steel mixing bowl o n top, fitting it snugly over the opening of the saucepan. Combine the chocolate , butter, light corn syrup and water in the bowl, stirring gently to combine. Re move from the heat. To assemble: Remove the cupcakes from their paper liners. Working with 1 cupcake at a time, turn it on its side and use a serrated knife to cut 8 very thin, equ al layers, keeping them in proper order. (if you have trouble with this, freeze the cupcakes for up to 1 hour to firm them up a bit.) Use a pastry brush to lightly coat the bottom layer with simple syrup. (This is called "punching"; see TIP.) Spread a thin layer of ganache on the bottom layer. (The ganache should be like soft fudge but very spreadable.) Repeat with the re maining cupcake layers, rebuilding the cupcake right side up and ending with a c oating of ganache on the top. Refrigerate for about 10 minutes, until the cupcak es are set.

Place a large wire cooling rack over a rimmed baking sheet. Place the filled cup cakes on the rack. Spread a little ganache on the sides of the cupcakes to cover any crumbs (and provide a surface for the glaze to cling to). Ladle the chocolate glaze over the cupcakes, allowing the excess glaze to drip o nto the baking sheet. When the glaze has set, seat the cupcakes in clean paper c upcake liners. Tip: About Punching: Cake expert Kendall Barrett brushes cake layers with simple syrup to keep them m oist. Even in her Smith Island Cupcakes, she says, "added moisture and possible flavor, if you choose to flavor your punch [hence the term], is a benefit for an y cake or cupcake. You expose so much surface when you cut the layers, there wil l undoubtedly be a little drying out."