Smith Island Ten-layer Cake

Total Time: 39 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 24 mins

Ingredients

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup unsalted butter, cut into chunks
• 5 eggs
• 3 cups flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 5 ounces unsweetened chocolate
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2-1 teaspoon vanilla

Recipe

• 1 cream together sugar and butter. add eggs one at a time and beat until smooth.
• 2 sift together flour, salt and baking powder.
• 3 mix into egg mixture one cup at a time.
• 4 with mixer running, slowly pour in the evaporated milk, then the vanilla and water. mix just until uniform.
• 5 put three serving spoonfuls of batter in each of ten 9-inch lightly greased pans, using the back of the spoon to spread evenly.
• 6 bake three layers at a time on the middle rack of the oven at 350° for 8 minutes. a layer is done when you hold it near your ear and you don't hear it sizzle.
• 7 start making the icing when the first layers go in the oven.
• 8 put the cake together as the layers are finished.
• 9 let layers cool a couple of minutes in the pans. run a spatula around the edge of the pan and ease the layer out of the pan. don't worry if it tears; no one will notice when the cake is finished.
• 10 use two and three serving spoonfuls of icing between each layer.
• 11 cover the top and sides of the cake with the rest of the icing. push icing that runs onto the plate back onto the cake.
• 12 directions for icing:.
• 13 put sugar and evaporated milk in a medium pan. cook and stir over medium-low heat until warm. add chocolate and cook to melt. add butter and melt. cook over medium heat at a slow boil for 10 to 15 minutes. stir occasionally. add vanilla. icing will be thin but thickens as it cools.