Smith Island Cakes
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
9 layers of heaven
Cherry Blossom season just wrapped up here in DC. Since we’ve moved here in December, that’s all we’ve been hearing about! The build up has been unbearable. Well, we finally experienced first hand what all the hoopla was about, and, yes, they were beautiful. Snowy puffs of pink and white all around the Tidal Basin, and all over the city actually, along with gorgeous magnolia trees as well.
My sister-in-law, Jennifer, came up from Salisbury, MD to see the cherry blossoms…and brought us an Eastern Shore treat! Feast your eyes:
Strawberry Shortcake on Steroids
Classic Chocolate Smith Island Cake
Smith Island Cakes are a specialty of 8 x 4 mile Smith Island, Maryland’s only inhabited island in the Chesapeake Bay. These towering cakes typically contain 6-12 pencil-thin layers of spongy cake with decadent icing in between each one. And, fun fact: Smith Island Cakes are the official state dessert of Maryland.
Jennifer got our cakes from Classic Cakes in Salisbury. Owner Dana Evans, who runs the bakery with her daughter, grew up on Smith Island (which I now imagine to be like Nantucket meets Candyland) making these traditional cakes.
With almost two dozen mouthwatering flavors to choose from, ranging from classics like Red Velvet to creative combos like Butterfinger. We were treated to the Fresh Strawberry – six layers of yellow cake, with fresh strawberries, strawberry glaze and whipped buttercream stacked between each layer. If you’re a strawberry shortcake fan, this is your cake.
Classic Cakes: Chocolate Layer Cake
Nom nom nom
1305 S Division St
Salisbury, MD 21804
(410) 860-5300
Welcome to Lick My Spoon, a place for all things delicious. 
The cakes looks wonderful. Have you ever had them shipped? I wonder how they hold up. Thanks – Ellie
Thanks, Ellie! No, I haven’t had them shipped before, but I’d give them a call and see what the details are.
before i even read ” count ‘em” (cake layers)  i already did.. salivating at my desk..good lord what a cake!!!!
Oh my goodness! Heaven on a plate ~
Ooo, I want that chocolate layer one for my next birthday!
good choice! i have my eye on their red velvet for my next Smith Island Cake tasting!
Great photos! I love a cake with alot of layers!
What a way to celebrate the cherry blossoms. You let the right woman into your family.
i’m lucky to have married into a wonderful family of good eaters!
Did you really? Â I’m so behind the times… Love cherry blossoms! Â Those cakes look fantastic
Oh yes, deary, we moved
still posting a bit on SF eats though — i really went at it before we left and have lots of material in queue. Â Will be relying on your site for the up to date news from the Bay!
I MUST have one of these cakes now. Â And get one for my brother in DC!
Oh, he will owe you BIG time
I’m so excited to try this!! So pretty and sounds so good!
Hmmm I try this cake and serve with this drink http://meinfoculinary.blogspot.com/2011/04/teh-tarik-medan-drag-tea.html
this looks good
oh my! this looks absolutely scrumptious!
Easy to get in Maryland, since it IS the Official Dessert! I love the peanut butter and chocolate!
mmm one of my favorite flavor combos!
[...] coast, to a new city. DC welcomed us with a blistering cold winter…and then made up for it with cherry blossoms and cake. Our adventures continued abroad on a culinary dream trip through Italy, Greece, and France (still [...]
Best source on the Eastern Shore for Smith Island cakes, aside from the old bitties on Smith Island of course. Trying to build up the gusto to try my hand at one myself. Great photos!
Thanks, Laura! They are just drop dead gorgeous when you slice into one, huh? You should try it! Let me know how it goes
The chocolate/yellow cake ships wonderfully and even freezes beautifully. The ladies on Smith Island have sent them nationally and even overseas. Dana’s Classic Cakes in Salisbury is a wonderful place to get them (www.classicsmithislandcakes.com) or you can get them directly from the island at Smith Island Baking Company (www.smithislandbakingco.com). There is a recipe on http://www.visitsomerset.com/pages/fun_stuff.html for anyone brave enough to try baking it. Check out the list of flavors available on the page, even if you decide not to bake it. It’s worth a gander. It’s fun to see everyone discovering something you grew up with. My favorite flavor rotates between the Lemon Creme, the Strawberry Creme, the Chocolate, the Fig….basically whatever their currently slicing.
Yum! Thanks for the tips, Wendy! One of these days I have to try making one