Smith Island Cake
This Smith Island cake has really tender cake layers with a buttery vanilla flavor. A lightly sweet ganache icing helps balance out the whole thing. Prepare this showstopper for a special occasion and receive rave reviews. Using aluminum pans really speeds up the assembly and cooking process. The batter holds well while the other layers cook.
heavy cream
4
cups
light corn syrup
¼
cup
bittersweet baking chocolate, chopped
24
ounces
kosher salt
¼
teaspoon
cooking spray
salted butter, softened
1 ½
cups
white sugar
2
cups
eggs, at room temperature
5
large
vanilla extract
2
teaspoons
all-purpose flour, sifted
3 ¾
cups
baking powder
1 ½
teaspoons
baking soda
¾
teaspoon
kosher salt
½
teaspoon
buttermilk, at room temperature
1 ¾
cups
 Prepare icing: Combine cream and corn syrup in a medium saucepan over medium heat; bring mixture just to a simmer, stirring often. Remove from heat.
  Place chocolate in a large microwave-safe bowl and pour hot cream mixture over the top. Sprinkle with salt and let stand for 2 minutes. Whisk until completely smooth and let cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. Chill icing in the refrigerator until thickened and spreadable, about 45 minutes, stirring halfway through.
  Meanwhile, prepare cake layers: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease nine 8 1/2-inch round disposable cake pans with cooking spray. Line the bottoms with parchment paper and spray paper lightly with more cooking spray.
  Beat butter in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment at medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Gradually add sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time and beat just until incorporated after each addition. Beat in vanilla.
  Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl until well combined. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk in 3 batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture and beating on medium speed. Divide batter evenly (about 1 cup each) among the prepared pans and smooth with an offset spatula.
  Bake in batches in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 12 to 14 minutes. Cool in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then turn cakes out onto wire racks to cool completely, about 20 minutes.
  Place 1 cake layer on an 8-inch round cake board and spread with 1/3 cup icing using a small offset spatula. Top with another cake layer and spread with another 1/3 cup icing. Repeat the process with remaining cake layers and icing. Coat the top and sides of cake with a thin layer of icing. Chill cake in the refrigerator for 1 hour and reserve remaining icing.
  Place chilled cake on a wire rack over a rimmed baking pan. Microwave reserved icing at medium (50%) power in 30-second intervals, stirring between, until smooth and pourable, 60 to 90 seconds. Pour icing in a slow, steady stream over the top of cake, starting at the center and moving to the outer edges so it flows down the sides. Smooth out the sides and fill any gaps with a small offset spatula.
  Chill cake in the refrigerator until set, about 1 hour. Carefully transfer cake to a serving plate. Serve at room temperature.
