• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
State of Dinner
  • Recipes
  • Menu Plans
  • State Dishes
  • Collaborate
  • Start Here
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Menu Plans
  • State Dishes
  • Collaborate
  • Start Here
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Menu Plans
    • State Dishes
    • Collaborate
    • Start Here
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Dessert Recipes » Smith Island Cake Using Cake Mix

    Smith Island Cake Using Cake Mix

    Published: Oct 13, 2020 · Modified: Feb 11, 2021 by Erin · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

    • Share
    • Twitter
    Jump to Recipe

    A Smith Island Cake is one of the moistest and most decadent cakes you will find and this one is made simple using cake mix! 8-12 layers of yellow cake are enrobed in fudge frosting that seeps down into the cake. It is an impressive cake that is a must-try for any chocolate lover!

    Slice of Smith Island Cake. Glass of milk and whole cake in background.
    Jump to:
    • A Simple Cake Mix With Homemade Taste
    • How to Make a Smith Island Cake
    • Recipe FAQs
    • Related Recipes
    • Recipe

    The Smith Island cake is the state dessert of Maryland. We enjoyed this as our dessert for our Maryland State Dinner. In that state dinner post, you can read about the history behind this incredible cake.

    A traditional Smith Island cake be anywhere between 8-12 layers. I love this range because if one of the layers falls apart you don't have to sweat it! And if all of the layers are perfect, you can either use them all or set a couple aside to snack on while you are making the rest of the cake. My kids love to enjoy a layer with powdered sugar sprinkled on top.

    A Simple Cake Mix With Homemade Taste

    At first glance, this cake seems really difficult. But it is actually pretty simple! One of the keys to simplicity is that we use cake mix as the foundation, instead of making a completely from-scratch cake. When you take a bite of this cake you would have no idea that it was from a box because we add some special ingredients to make it taste homemade.

    Each ingredient gets a little adjustment to produce a very moist, rich cake.

    • Use milk instead of water. This adds flavor to the mix.
    • Replace the oil with butter to add richness and also creates a cake with a finer texture.
    • Add an extra egg to build volume and add moisture to the cake.
    • Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla. This adds flavor to the cake and makes it taste homemade.

    If your cake mix has different measurements than are in this cake recipe then follow your box mix measurements, with the above ingredients substitutions.

    Whole Smith Island Cake on a cake stand.

    How to Make a Smith Island Cake

    Step One: Make the Cake Batter

    Making the batter is just about as simple as whipping up a regular cake mix. We mix the cake mix, milk, butter, eggs, and vanilla together for a couple of minutes until you have a nice, fluffy batter.

    Each layer of cake batter will use just under a cup of batter. You want the layers to be about the thickness of a pencil.

    Bowl of cake batter with a one cup scoop also filled with batter.

    Step Two: Bake the Cakes

    Because the layers are so thin they cook up very quickly. They will cook at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Line your cake pan with a parchment paper circle to help prevent the cake from sticking. Here is a helpful video on how to cut parchment circles.

    Once the cake is done, let it cool for just a few minutes in the pan, then turn it out onto a cooling rack. Another benefit to the thin layers is that they also cool very quickly!

    A pencil thin layer of cake on a cooling rack.

    Step Three: Make Your Frosting

    This frosting really is the hallmark of the cake. It tastes like the frosting on a chocolate glazed donut. It is thin enough to seep into the cake a little, making each bite a blend of buttery cake and chocolate fudge.

    Making the frosting is pretty easy as well! All of the ingredients except the vanilla extract go into a medium-sized pan over medium heat. The important thing here is that you stir frequently. You don't want your chocolate to burn on the bottom of your pan. By stirring it often, it melts into the cream smoothly. Once the mixture comes to a boil, cook it an additional minute, then remove from the burner and mix in the vanilla.

    This frosting needs to cool completely before pouring it over the cake. Plan to make it at least an hour before you assemble the cake, though it can even be made a day ahead.

    A bowl of chocolate fuge frosting with a few squares of chocolate in front of it.

    Step Four: Pour Frosting Between Each Layer

    Now we have come to the fun part! Stacking up this mighty cake! I like to tear strips of parchment to tuck under the cake so that the frosting doesn't spill all over the cake stand. We'll remove the parchment after the cake is fully assembled.

    Each layer gets about a quarter cup of frosting poured over it. Then spread to cover the layer of cake. It will spill over the sides and that is completely okay.

    Pencil thin yellow cake layer with some fudge poured on top.

    Step Five: Frost the Outside and Refrigerate

    Pour half of the remaining mixture over the top. Then use the rest to cover the sides. It will get a little messy, but that is a part of the beauty of this cake. Embrace the mess!

    This cake is fine left at room temperature, but I like to refrigerate it so that the frosting really sets up. If you refrigerate your cake, just bring it out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving.

    8 layers of thin yellow cake with fudge in between each layer. Spreading on the top layer.

    Recipe FAQs

    How many cake pans do I need?

    You probably don't have 12 cake pans lying around, or room in your oven for 12 pans. I only have two 9-inch cake pans and it worked just fine! Just cook however many at a time that you have the pans and space for, then repeat the steps until all cake layers have been baked.

    How do I know when the cake is done?

    Stick a toothpick into the middle of one of the layers, then remove it. If there is wet batter on the toothpick then it still needs to cook, but if the toothpick is clean then it is done.

    What is the best way to cool the cake layers?

    Cool each layer on a cooling rack. When the next batch is ready to be placed onto the cooling rack, remove the first set of (cooled) cakes and stack them on top of each other. To remove them from the cooling rack I find it easiest to turn the rack over onto the counter, and then gently peel off of the cake.

    Related Recipes

    • Another classic Maryland dish is crab cakes! Ours are oven-baked and perfectly seasoned!
    • If you love chocolate, check out these Ultimate Gooey Chocolate Brownies
    • Bordeaux is the perfect wine pairing for this cake.
    Pinterest Pin: Smith Island Cake, 8 delicious layers!

    Let me know how you like this recipe by leaving a review! And follow along on Instagram @stateofdinner for behind the scenes and to be among the first to know when new recipes post!

    Recipe

    One slice of Smith Island cake on a plate, with a fork. Milk in the top-right corner.

    Smith Island Cake Using Cake Mix

    Recipe by: Erin
    Smith Island Cakes is the state dessert for Maryland. 8-12 moist layers of yellow cake are sandwiched between delicious layers of fudge frosting. An impressive and decadent dessert!
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 40 mins
    Cook Time 40 mins
    Resting Time 1 hr
    Total Time 2 hrs 20 mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 16
    Calories 698 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    Cake

    • 2 boxes yellow cake mix
    • 2 cups milk
    • 1 cup butter, melted and cooled
    • 8 eggs
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla

    Frosting

    • 9 tablespoon butter, cut into pieces
    • 6 ounce bittersweet chocolate (60% cacoa), broken into squares
    • 2 ½ cup sugar
    • 1 ¼ cups heavy cream
    • 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
    • 2 teaspoon vanilla
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    Frosting

    • Place butter, chocolate, sugar, heavy cream, and corn syrup in a medium-sized pan over medium heat. Stir frequently.
    • When the mixture comes to a boil, give it a good stir and then let it boil without stirring for 1 minute.
    • Remove from heat. Stir in the vanilla extract.
    • Set aside, uncovered, and allow to cool for 1-2 hours.

    Cake

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9-inch cake pans with non-stick cooking spray. Line with parchment paper circles and spray again.
    • Using a handheld or stand mixer, combine cake mix, milk, butter, and eggs on low speed for 30 seconds. Scrape the sides.
      Increase speed to medium-high and continue beating for 2 minutes.
    • Use a 1-cup measuring scoop to remove slightly less than a cup of cake batter. Pour this small amount of cake batter into a parchment-lined cake pan. Repeat to fill as many cake pans as you have.
      Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
      Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack. (See FAQ notes for tips on cooling and stacking.)
    • Grease pans and place a parchment circle inside. It is okay to reuse the parchment circles, as long as you grease/spray them each time. Repeat the above steps, filling each cake pan with just under a cup of batter, and baking, until all of the cake layers have been baked.
      Cool cakes completely.

    Assembling the Cake

    • Place the first layer of cake onto a serving plate or cake stand. Tear off 4 strips of parchment paper, each about 2-inches long (as wide as your roll - do not cut). Tuck a strip of parchment about a half-inch under each side of the cake, so that the paper will catch any frosting that drips down. This will help your serving plate stay clean.
    • Spread ¼ cup of frosting over the top of your first layer. Stack the next cake layer on top of the first, and top with ¼ cup of frosting. Repeat with each layer.
      Pour remaining frosting over the top of the cake and onto sides.
    • Remove parchment strips. Place the cake in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, so that the frosting sets up. If the cake is refrigerated for longer than 2 hours, remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes prior to serving.
    • Cover leftover cake and store at room temperature for 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

    Notes

    The nutritional facts provided are only estimates. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 698kcal | Carbohydrates: 93g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Cholesterol: 158mg | Sodium: 682mg | Potassium: 179mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 66g | Vitamin A: 998IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 207mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
    Share a photo of your creation with your friends!Mention @stateofdinner or tag #stateofdinner!
    « Oven-Baked Crab Cakes Recipe
    Famous Food from Maryland »

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Photo of Erin Gierhart

    Welcome! I'm Erin, wife, mom, and lover of great food. I've been cooking and baking for over half my life, including 7 years teaching cooking demonstrations. I have even sold baked goods, from homemade bread to wedding cakes! Somewhere between my kitchen disasters and extraordinary creations I learned a few things about what it takes to make a great dish. And I am excited to share those learnings and mouthwatering recipes with you!

    Let's Get Started→

    Popular Recipes

    • Southern Peach Cobbler in a Cast Iron Skillet
    • Southern Peach Cobbler Pound Cake with Cream Cheese
    • Homemade Whipped Cream Recipe for a Dispenser
    • Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Wings
    • Easy Funnel Cake Bites Recipe With Pancake Mix
    • How to Stabilize Whipped Cream with Cream of Tartar

    Seasonal Recipes

    • Kale Crunch Salad (Chick-Fil-A Copycat)
    • Homemade Strawberry Pie Filling (Using Frozen Strawberries)
    • Strawberry Pretzel Salad Without Cool Whip
    • Spinach Caprese Salad with Basil Balsamic Vinaigrette
    • Juicy Elk Burger Recipe
    • Blueberry Strawberry Shortcake

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Get Started Here
    • Privacy Policy & Disclaimer

    Accessibility

    • Accessibility Policy

    Let's Work Together

    • Collaboration

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 State of Dinner