Heritage recipe for Chocolate Little Layer Cake, a regional specialty from southwest Georgia. Tiny yellow cake layers filled with boiled chocolate frosting.
I really love the way technology makes it possible for us to share our recipes these days. What we used to do through cards and letters, newspaper and magazine clippings, or simply by word of mouth, we can now accomplish within seconds.
Just a quick Google search and virtually any recipe ever thought of appears on your screen. I'm even more grateful that technology is helping us to preserve our old heritage recipes like the one I'm sharing with you today - Chocolate Little Layer Cake.
A Heritage Recipe
These beautiful multi-layer cakes have, for as long as I can remember, always been a part of family reunions, church dinners, and most holidays in the southwest corner of Georgia where I grew up. You might think at first glance that they're standard cake layers that have been split and filled, but they're not. Not at all. Each little thin layer is baked separately.
To make it even more different from traditional layer cakes, it's iced with warm icing while the layers themselves are still warm. Totally goes against the conventional method, doesn't it?
In the small town where I grew up, lots of ladies make these cakes for a little extra income on the side. They come in two versions - chocolate or caramel. Some of them make a fairly brisk business of it, especially around Christmas.
Now way back when, these cakes were made by cooking each layer in a hoecake pan or iron skillet on top of the stove, but now most everyone cooks the layers in the oven. It just goes faster when you can bake three or four layers at one time, you see.
If you're really experienced with little layer cakes, you can get as many as fourteen layers from your batter. I got ten this time. I need to practice more.
A Modernized Recipe For You
The original recipe that I have for little layer cakes is so typical of old-time recipes. It assumes that the cook pretty much knows what to do and only the bare essentials are given.
For instance, the instructions for the batter read "Mix well. Grease 8" pans with Crisco. Put 2 large cooking spoonfuls in each pan. Bake at 400 for 10 minutes." That's it.
And the instructions for the icing are "Place over low heat until all is dissolved. Do not boil. Be sure all sugar is melted." Well, alrighty then!
I've tried to re-write and modernize the instructions a bit for you.
A few years ago, Kim Severson of the New York Times did a story on these little layer cakes. I had the pleasure of hearing Kim speak once at food blogging conference. She's a very accomplished food writer and has received numerous accolades, including several James Beard Awards.
In her NYT story, she talked about how the cakes were made only in one area in Alabama and on Smith Island near Maryland. Well, I can assure you that they are part of the fabric of at least one small southwest Georgia town as well :-)
How to Make Chocolate Little Layer Cake
Before starting your baking, make sure to have all the ingredients at room temperature. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and go ahead and prep your 8" cake pans with shortening and set them aside.
How many layers you bake at once depends on how many pans you have and can fit into your oven without them touching. Some people use the disposable cake pans for this, but I don't see the need. I just wipe them out and re-grease between each set of layers.
Make the Icing
Now, unlike other cakes, you actually start your little layer cake by making the icing first.
Place a large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium-low heat. The heat should be barely medium-low. If in doubt, go lower.
Add the sugar, baking chocolate, evaporated milk, butter, and vanilla all at once. Cook until the sugar is completely dissolved, stirring occasionally.
It is important that the icing does not boil and that you make sure that the sugar is completely dissolved and no grainy texture remains.
Make the Batter
Meanwhile, make the batter. Cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs all at once and beat until well incorporated. Add the flour and water alternately, beginning and ending with flour. (Note: the batter will appear to be curdled after each addition of water – this is normal.) Mix in the vanilla.
Bake the Layers
Pour approximately ¾ cup batter into each prepared pan. Smooth the batter to the edges. Bake for approximately 10 minutes or until the layers are barely golden on top. Remove from the oven and turn out onto cooling racks.
Clean the pans, grease them, and repeat baking. When the second set of layers goes into the oven, begin icing the first set.
Frost the Layers While Warm
Place a still-warm layer on a cardboard round set on a cooling rack inside a baking sheet. Spread ¼ cup of icing on the layer smoothing it gently to the edges. Top with the next layer and repeat.
(Note: the icing will be thin and fairly runny. It will drip down the sides of the layers. This is to be expected. Any excess icing should be scraped up and returned to the pan and all of it used in icing the cake. This is why I strongly recommend doing the icing of the cake on a cooling rack set inside a baking pan.)
When all the layers have been stacked and iced, spread the remaining icing over the top and sides of the cake. If the icing becomes thick, return the pan to very low heat until it returns to spreading consistency.
Smooth the icing around the sides of the cake, but realize that the contours are supposed to be visible on the outside of the cake.
I'm quite interested in knowing whether my readers have ever seen this type of cake or whether it really is localized to the southeast Alabama-southwest Georgia area. If you have a minute, please leave a quick comment. Thanks!
More Little Layer Cake Recipes Curated for You
- Little Layer Chocolate Cake from Southern Living
- Southern Little Layer Cake from Divas Can Cook
- Fourteen Layer Chocolate Cake from All Recipes
- Chocolate Fudge Little Layer Cake from Southern Kitchen
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Chocolate Little Layer Cake
Ingredients
- Solid shortening for greasing pans
For the icing:
- 3 cups sugar
- 3 ½ oz unsweetened baking chocolate see notes
- 10 oz evaporated milk
- ½ cup butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the layers:
- 1 cup butter
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 6 eggs
- 3 ½ cups self-rising flour sifted
- 1 ¾ cups water
- 1 tsp vanilla
Instructions
- Have all ingredients at room temperature. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease 8” cake pans with shortening and set aside.
- Make the icing first. Place a large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium-low heat. Add the sugar, baking chocolate, evaporated milk, butter, and vanilla all at once. Cook until the sugar is completely dissolved, stirring frequently. Do not boil. It is important to make sure that the sugar is completely dissolved and no grainy texture remains.
- Meanwhile, make the batter. Cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs all at once and beat until well incorporated. Add the flour and water alternately, beginning and ending with flour. (Note: the batter will appear to be curdled after each addition of water – this is normal.) Mix in the vanilla.
- Pour approximately ¾ cup batter into each prepared pan. Smooth the batter to the edges. Bake for approximately 10 minutes or until layers are barely golden on top. Remove from oven and turn out onto cooling racks.
- Clean the pans, grease them and repeat baking. When second set of layers goes into the oven, begin icing the cake. Place a still-warm layer on a cardboard round set atop a cooling rack inside a baking sheet. Spread ¼ cup icing on the layer spreading it gently to the edges. Top with the next layer and repeat.
- When all layers have been stacked and iced, spread remaining icing over top and sides of the cake. If the icing becomes thick, return the pan to very low heat until it returns to spreading consistency.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your health care provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
-- This post was originally published on April 24, 2012.
Lana Stuart is the cook and occasional traveler here at Never Enough Thyme. Lana has been cooking since she was tall enough to reach the stove and started this blog in 2009 to share her delicious home cooking recipes. You'll find about 700 recipes here so there's sure to be something your family will like!
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Murphy
Thomas County Ga area and this is a staple along with Milky Way pound cake at all of our family holidays for as long as I can remember! Our great grandmother(I’m sure her mother and grandmother were but I wasn’t alive for that) started making it and now the great grand daughters take turns each year!! Carmel cakes are also VERY popular during the holidays here!
Lana Stuart
I don't think we could have Christmas without this cake and a caramel cake, too!
Kathy
I grew up in Robeson County in North Carolina and this was a Christmas staple.
Lana Stuart
In my hometown, too, Kathy. This one and the caramel ones as well.
Leah Faison
I’ m in the Dothan, Alabama area and this type of cake is a much-prized thing in the Wiregrass area of southeast Alabama, southwest Georgia and northwest Florida. I plan to master this technique for the holidays this year. This type of cake is a treasured part of our heritage. I’m also going to try this technique with “lemon cheese” filling 😋
Lana Stuart
I'm from the same area as you, Leah - southwest Georgia. We always had these cakes in chocolate and caramel. I've never tried one with lemon cheese, but I bet it would be delicious!
Lil Andrews
My grandmother always made a 5 layer, however, after a funeral yesterday I had this 7 layer. I was so intrigued and glad to find your ariticle. It was amazing and could certainly tell it was homeade.
Thanks for the recipe !!! I live in S. Carolina !
Lana Stuart
You're welcome! Hope you enjoy making one for yourself.
Bell
Hi! I made this one day in advance. Do I need to fridge it overnight or is an air tight container at room temp okay?
Lana Stuart
You can safely store it covered in an airtight container at room temperature.
Karen Key
My Grandmother also made this cake quite often. I have never made the cake myself but intend to real soon. She was originally from Alabama but lived in Florida most of her life. I do remember her making an orange cake using the same layers. Thanks for the recipe, it definitely brought back some wonderful memories.
Lana Stuart
That's the first time I've heard of a little layer orange cake! Very interesting. I'll bet it's delicious :-)
Sharon
I live in a small town in middle Georgia. My Mawmaw always made many 10-14 layer little layer chocolate cakes during the holidays for the family and she also sold the for a little extra money. She made coconut and orange slice too. I’m very fortunate to have cooked in the kitchen with her as a child and now I make them for the family during the holidays. Thank you for sharing!
Lana Stuart
You're welcome, Sharon!
Cathy
I've made this cake as a birthday cake a few times from recipes/instructions given by my Atlanta-born husband's relatives, but never have felt comfortable with the process since I did not grow up with this type of cake in Texas. Thanks to your recipe and detailed instructions, now I can prepare this cake with confidence. Got ten layers and am thrilled! I might even be brave enough to make it more than once a year!
Once it's presented for his special day, I'll post a pic on IG with your #
Thank you again!!! :D
Lana Stuart
So glad I could be of help, Cathy! I can't wait to see the photo of your finished cake :-)
James
This sounds really great and fun to try. This seems to make a 10 layer cake so just keep baking with as many 8 inch pans you have? How many were you able to bake at a time?
Lana Stuart
People who are very experienced at making this recipe can get up to 14 layers from the batter. As you can see in the photo, I got ten on this attempt. You don't need 10 pans, however, you just wipe the pans out and re-grease between baking each set of layers.
Jayne
Words cannot express how excited I am to find this recipe! (And your blog!)
My Grandmother's chocolate layer cake was a staple at every family get together, every holiday get together, and every church meal for as long as I can remember! She never measured ingredients and never used a written recipe, but every cake turned out perfectly delicious!! I watched her many times and tried to learn how to make this cake, but could not remember what she added to the Baker's Unsweetened Chocolate! THANK YOU SO MUCH for this post!!
To reply to your question about location, we are from right outside of Charlotte, NC in Belmont, NC. My grandmother was a native of Belmont. Her thin layer cakes were very well loved and often requested!! She used the same thin layers for her coconut cake, and also a confectioners' sugar glazed - banana cake!
Thank you again!!
Lana Stuart
I'm so happy that I could be of help in restoring an old family recipe for you, Jayne. I've found out, too, that this cake is made all over the southeast -- Georgia, Alabama, North and South Carolina -- just about everywhere!