Smith Island Cake History

The Official State Dessert of Maryland

Courtesy of
The Original Smith Island Cake Co.

SMITH ISLAND, MARYLAND'S only inhabited island in the Chesapeake Bay, is located 12 miles west of Crisfield, Maryland. The 8 x 4 mile island has a total population of just 400 people. Smith Island is made up of 3 unique communities - Tylerton, Ewell and Rhodes Point- all located on small areas of high ground which exist among the large estuarine marshes characteristic of the Chesapeake Bay.

Originally settled in the 1600's, Smith Island has been home to watermen and their families for centuries, whose primary livelihood comes from the waters of the Chesapeake Bay. These watermen harvest blue crabs, oysters and fish, shipping them to markets throughout the world. Accessible only by boat, passenger only ferries connect Smith Island to Point Lookout, Maryland to the west and Crisfield Maryland to the East. Make a trip to Smith Island to experience a step back to simpler times.

Many people enjoy the beauty of the Chesapeake Bay, however the majority do not realize that the bay's beauty is deceiving. Below the surface there has been great damage to the precious watershed as a result of abuse and poor use of our natural resources. The Original Smith Island Cake Company is dedicated to the restoration of the bay's ecosystem. As such, a percentage of our proceeds are earmarked toward environmental restoration initiatives, such as the Coastal Bay Foundation, that are helping to ensure that the splendor of our bay will be preserved for our children and future generations. Visit the Coastal Bay Foundation website at mdcoastalbays.org smith island cake double chocolate fantasy the original smith island cake.

THE SMITH ISLAND CAKE

This decadent cake from Smith Island has been known as Frosting with the Cake, containing between 6 -12 pencil-thin yellow cake layers with rich chocolate fudge icing in between!! Imagine nine of the most delicate layers of spongy yellow cake separated by the thinnest layers of an old fashioned cooked chocolate icing that sets like fudge.

No one is quite sure who developed the concept of the Smith Island Cake. Some people believe it can be traced to an English torte, brought by Welsh settlers who came to the Smith Island in the late 1600's. Many residents of Smith Island say, "It has always been here". The recipe for the Smith Island Cake was first published in 1981 in a cookbook called Mrs. Kitching's Smith Island Cookbook. Women of Smith Island started to stack layers as a form of competition, and it eventually grew to as many as a dozen layers.

Effective October 1, 2008, the Smith Island Cake and its unique island received the recognition that it deserved. The Maryland State Legislation established the Smith Island Cake as the Official State Dessert of Maryland.

Try baking one of these cakes yourself!
Smith Island Treasure-Ten Layer Cake