A 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!
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Chocolate Little Layer Cake
Ingredients
- Solid shortening for greasing pans
For the icing:
- 3 cups sugar
- 3 ½ ounces unsweetened baking chocolate see notes
- 10 ounces evaporated milk
- ½ cup butter
- 1 teaspoon 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 teaspoon 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.
More Little Layer Cake Recipes ...
- 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
Kay says
My Grandmother -1896 birthday- had a hardcover blue cookbook that was published 1898 or 1899, we cannot recall exact year nor who published it. Her mother and her 8 older sisters had really used it. It was coming apart when we cleaned out her home after her death in the 1980s. One of my sisters took the book. There was a recipe for a cake like this, I saw it on her dining table enough to remember it. She entertained mostly women’s groups related to church. When I was 8-9 she told me, “ it’s a lot of trouble”, with her fun smile. She loved to share her big farmhouse for women’s gatherings and was a really good cook and baker, most all food from their farm/ranch. This was all in NORTH TEXAS!
Debbie says
My grandmother made this cake, just seeing yours brings back sweet memories. She was born in 1920 and grew up in Baker County, GA but lived in Albany, GA as an adult. She didn't split the layers like some do but made them thin like yours.
Kristina Gregory says
My grandma who raised me grew up making this cake religiously. I now make it as well:) She grew up deep in the Florida panhandle. It was a normal thing for people to make for funerals, birthdays, Christmas, whenever. There is a trick with this cake that she always told me..it can't be rainy or looking like rain that day..the icing won't set right;) It'll taste good always though;))
Vicki Anckner says
My Grandmother & her sisters and my Greatgrandmother all made these while they were alive. I miss then & the wonderful Caremel and Chocolate Cakes that appeared for every holiday. Jesup & Savannah, Georgia
Shirley A Harvey says
Lana do you have a cookbook with this choc. receipes in it
Thanks
Shirley
Lana Stuart says
Hi Shirley - Thanks for asking. But, no, I don't have a cookbook. Maybe one of these days!
Treena Johnson says
I have had these numerous times. (and made a few times) My husbands family is from Moultrie GA, where we would have them. I am curious, my aunt-in-law says there is one flavor of that type of cake called ‘lemon cheese’, I’ve had it before but would love to make one, but do not know how. Do you know what I am meaning? Any direction would be appreciated.
Lana Stuart says
Hi Treena - Yes, lemon cheese is the same thing as lemon curd. My mother makes a wonderful lemon cheese cake. It has the normal size layers with the lemon cheese (curd) as filling and a white seven-minute frosting. You could easily make that into a little layer cake, but I like it the traditional way.
Treena Johnson says
Thank you a ton! I will keep you posted on how it turns out (when I can syke myself up to make one, they are a lot of work!!) ❤️
Amanda says
I’ve made this cake several times and it always turns out creamy, not hard/crunchy. I usually make my layers ahead of time and freeze them, because I have to make so many at one time. Recently, I cooked the icing, put it on the layers while the layers were still cold. After it set, the icing became crystallized. Any idea why? I can’t figure this out. I let the sugars melt. Oh, and does anybody know why you can’t let the icing boil? I never do, but was just curious as to why.
Janice says
Hi my name is Janice. I am from Opelika, AL. Both of my grandmothers, my mother and many of my aunts were great bakers. I have made many cakes and love how each one is so unique. Your cake recipe intriges me. I have always made my cakes using buttermilk. I have never made a cake using water as the only liquid. I am curious as to the reason for this.
Janice says
Hi Lana, I decided to give your chocolate layer cake a try. I made it exactly like your recipe. The cake turned out great. I am thinking the recipe used water instead of buttermilk so the layers would not rise too much in the middle. As for the icing, I did not have any bakers chocolate bars so I used Hershey’s Cocoa powder instead. I did not know the conversion amount so I guesstimated. My icing’s consistency was creamy and thicked up nicely as it cooled. I think I put a little too much cocoa powder because the icing has a dark chocolate flavor. Overall, I was very pleased with the recipe and will be using it again.
Cheyenne Morris says
Hey from South Carolina! I am about to attempt to make this awesome cake for my youngest sons 11th birthday! My Great-Grandma always made this cake for our family reunions! She was from Princeton, South Carolina, which is in the upstate of SC, kinda near Greenville! Best cake I’ve ever had, and I can still remember us making sure we got a slice of “Lil Grandmas” chocolate cake! We even call the icing “Lil Grandmas Icing”! ?
Rick Turner says
My grandmother made these. She lived in Cochran Georgia. Church dinners, family reunions, and Christmas. My favorite cake.
If you showed up to a Church dinner with a "store bought cake" you were shunned from the church,
Grandma once gave my wife and I a cake to take home to Panama city. The cake did not make it there.
Debbie says
My husband cousin lives in Cochran. Carol Sykes.