Smith Island cake in DC

[Anonymous]

I don’t know what you all are talking about but I grew up on the eastern shore and smith island cakes are a thing…. Way before the internet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:it's always so dry

It shouldn't be. Most Smith Island bakers use Duncan Hines cake mix.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know what you all are talking about but I grew up on the eastern shore and smith island cakes are a thing…. Way before the internet.

I didn’t grow up there but here in Maryland. Smith island cakes are part of our culinary history. They are not a fad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What you want is the *real* multilayered cake: Dobostorte.

Smith Island is an invented internet meme that didn't exist before 2004.

Smith Island itself or the cake? Just trying to gauge what level of internet conspiracy theory nonsense we are dealing with here.

I don't doubt there was a local tradition for multilayered cakes in Smith Island, but as a "state cake" and internet meme it didn't really become a known thing in the rest of the state till around 2000 or afterwards. I grew up in Baltimore and a fairly traditional "Maryland family" that was all into crabcakes and crab imperials and terrapin soup, and never heard of Smith Island cakes until it burst on the scene 20 some years ago. If there was a cake associated with Maryland it would have been the Lady Baltimore cake, even if it was the invention of a Charleston tea room.

The concept of the Smith Island cake isn't unique. I've had the same kinds of cakes in Germany and Austria.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What you want is the *real* multilayered cake: Dobostorte.

Smith Island is an invented internet meme that didn't exist before 2004.

Smith Island itself or the cake? Just trying to gauge what level of internet conspiracy theory nonsense we are dealing with here.

I don't doubt there was a local tradition for multilayered cakes in Smith Island, but as a "state cake" and internet meme it didn't really become a known thing in the rest of the state till around 2000 or afterwards. I grew up in Baltimore and a fairly traditional "Maryland family" that was all into crabcakes and crab imperials and terrapin soup, and never heard of Smith Island cakes until it burst on the scene 20 some years ago. If there was a cake associated with Maryland it would have been the Lady Baltimore cake, even if it was the invention of a Charleston tea room.

The concept of the Smith Island cake isn't unique. I've had the same kinds of cakes in Germany and Austria.

Hot take -- were it not for the seafood, Maryland cuisine is pretty abysmal. Married into a deep roots MD family and the german and english-inflected fare is... not good. From the sauerbraten to the bland potato and macaroni salads to prided MD crab soup (which most folks make by adding crab claws to canned beef and vegetable soup) to the stewed tomatoes eaten as a side dish. I feel like Smith Island cake and Berger Cookies (I'm really baiting the Marylander's now!) fall under the same bland umbrella. Good ideas in theory, but the execution falls flat. I don't understand how items theoretically loaded with chocolate can barely taste like it. Thank god for the crab, crab cakes, and rockfish.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What you want is the *real* multilayered cake: Dobostorte.

Smith Island is an invented internet meme that didn't exist before 2004.

Smith Island itself or the cake? Just trying to gauge what level of internet conspiracy theory nonsense we are dealing with here.

I don't doubt there was a local tradition for multilayered cakes in Smith Island, but as a "state cake" and internet meme it didn't really become a known thing in the rest of the state till around 2000 or afterwards. I grew up in Baltimore and a fairly traditional "Maryland family" that was all into crabcakes and crab imperials and terrapin soup, and never heard of Smith Island cakes until it burst on the scene 20 some years ago. If there was a cake associated with Maryland it would have been the Lady Baltimore cake, even if it was the invention of a Charleston tea room.

The concept of the Smith Island cake isn't unique. I've had the same kinds of cakes in Germany and Austria.

Hot take -- were it not for the seafood, Maryland cuisine is pretty abysmal. Married into a deep roots MD family and the german and english-inflected fare is... not good. From the sauerbraten to the bland potato and macaroni salads to prided MD crab soup (which most folks make by adding crab claws to canned beef and vegetable soup) to the stewed tomatoes eaten as a side dish. I feel like Smith Island cake and Berger Cookies (I'm really baiting the Marylander's now!) fall under the same bland umbrella. Good ideas in theory, but the execution falls flat. I don't understand how items theoretically loaded with chocolate can barely taste like it. Thank god for the crab, crab cakes, and rockfish.

You would have LOVED a Maryland beaten biscuit, lol!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What you want is the *real* multilayered cake: Dobostorte.

Smith Island is an invented internet meme that didn't exist before 2004.

Smith Island itself or the cake? Just trying to gauge what level of internet conspiracy theory nonsense we are dealing with here.

I don't doubt there was a local tradition for multilayered cakes in Smith Island, but as a "state cake" and internet meme it didn't really become a known thing in the rest of the state till around 2000 or afterwards. I grew up in Baltimore and a fairly traditional "Maryland family" that was all into crabcakes and crab imperials and terrapin soup, and never heard of Smith Island cakes until it burst on the scene 20 some years ago. If there was a cake associated with Maryland it would have been the Lady Baltimore cake, even if it was the invention of a Charleston tea room.

The concept of the Smith Island cake isn't unique. I've had the same kinds of cakes in Germany and Austria.

Hot take -- were it not for the seafood, Maryland cuisine is pretty abysmal. Married into a deep roots MD family and the german and english-inflected fare is... not good. From the sauerbraten to the bland potato and macaroni salads to prided MD crab soup (which most folks make by adding crab claws to canned beef and vegetable soup) to the stewed tomatoes eaten as a side dish. I feel like Smith Island cake and Berger Cookies (I'm really baiting the Marylander's now!) fall under the same bland umbrella. Good ideas in theory, but the execution falls flat. I don't understand how items theoretically loaded with chocolate can barely taste like it. Thank god for the crab, crab cakes, and rockfish.

Hey! Old Bay is VERY flavorful

[Anonymous]

Wagschals has it and it’s delicious!