Smith Island Baking Co.

I’m pretty sure that by now our obsession with food has come across loud and clear.  And, while we focus on our beloved Sacramento area, we’re on the prowl for good food with a good story anytime and anywhere.  Recently, one Sac Foodie took a trip back east to Maryland for the holidays and stumbled upon a gem that we just couldn’t ignore:  Smith Island Baking Co.

Smith Island, Maryland is a remote fishing community with a rich history…that produces quite possibly even richer cake!  The story goes that as far back as the 1800s, watermen’s spouses on Smith Island would send them out during the autumn oyster harvest with quilts, their daily necessities and, of course, cakes.  When they noticed that the traditional, thicker cakes became stale too quickly, they developed a method that would bring fame to this little island in years to come.

Smith Island cakes are made from scratch with seemingly impossible-to-make thin layers, stacked high with cooked fudge in place of the typical butter cream frosting.  The unique cakes kept the Smith Island watermen full and satisfied for days back in the 1800s and have become a staple for the island in their ability to be shipped across the country without losing flavor or moisture.

When Smith Island Baking Co. kindly offered to send the Sac Foodies one of their Chocolate Fudge cakes to review, we happily accepted the “difficult” task!  Now, keep in mind that this cake traveled all the way from Maryland to Sacramento – so this was the true test.  – Cecily Fuller

Jenna Buhagiar – Such a dense, filling cake! A sliver is really all you need to get a delicious sweet fix. I’m thinking it might also be good at breakfast-time accompanied by a steaming cup of coffee, so I may just have to try that out.

Kim Bedwell – What I liked about this cake is that it wasn’t too sweet.  Just the right balance of chocolate and cake.  I bet it would be even better with a fresh cup of coffee.

Christine Schunk – While I was cutting myself a piece of this layered goodness, the packaging the cake was shipped in actually caught my eye.  Smith Island sends their cakes in a really cute cake dome-type tin – love it!

Shelly Kessen – Yummy! The cake is so pretty, too. It was the first time I had heard of them, but it won’t be the last that I give them a try.

Brittany Mohr – I’m not a big cake person, and I had THREE slices. I only admit that because it was so good that I don’t regret my decision to indulge. Some things are just worth the splurge, and the chocolaty layered goodness of Smith Island Cake is one of them.

John Armato – Beautiful presentation, both cake and charming cake tin. Loved the fudge. Drier than I expected. Have a GREAT back story. Loved the history.

Smith Island cakes can be ordered online at http://smithislandbakingco.com.

Smith Island Baking Co.
20926 Caleb Jones Road
Ewell, Smith Island, MD 21824
(410) 425-2253