Smith Island Cake

from Mary Ada Marshall's recipe in Saveur 

via Kathy and Jeff Lindenbaum 

makes one 8-inch cake, serves at least 14 (it is SO rich!)

8 large Reese's peanut butter cups (6 ounces), frozen

nonstick cooking spray (Pam)

1/4 cup flour

118 1/4-ounce box yellow cake mix, preferably Duncan Hines

2 cups plus 3 tablespoons evaporated milk

2 sticks butter, softened

1 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 eggs

1/3 cup water

6 cups powdered (confectioners) sugar

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

Pulse 4 peanut butter cups in a food processor into small chunks. Transfer to a bowl. Pulse remaining peanut butter cups into a fine powder. Transfer to another bowl. Chill both until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease eight 8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray. Dust with the flour and knock out any excess. Set aside.

Put cake mix, 11/2 cups evaporated milk, 8 tablespoons butter, vanilla, salt, eggs, and water into a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, 10 to 12 minutes. Divide between the cake pans, smoothing out the batter so that it covers the bottom of each pan - make it slightly thicker around the edges than in the middle. Bake until cooked through and golden around the edges, about 12 to 14 minutes. Set aside to let cool slightly, then loosen cake layers with a knife and invert onto cooling racks.

When cake layers have cooled, make the icing. Combine remaining milk, sugar, and cocoa in a medium pot, stir well, and then add remaining butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until butter is melted and icing is shiny, 4 to 5 minutes. It may seem too liquid, but don't worry. Let cool for 5 minutes, and then stir well again. Assemble the cake. Spread a cake layer with about 1/4 cup of icing, and sprinkle with about 1 tablespoon powdered peanut butter cups. Top with another cake layer and repeat the process to make 8
layers in all, leaving enough for the sides. Frost the outside of the cake with the remaining icing and sprinkle the top with peanut butter cup chunks. Let sit for 2 to 3 hours before serving. The cake can be stored for up to a week refrigerated in an airtight container.

I'd hesitate to make any dessert with these ingredients (boxed cake mix, evaporated milk), but this was one of the most spectacular cakes we've ever tasted, and it was rich and elegant - a very celebratory dessert! It is even better served with whipped cream.

Smith Island is Maryland's only inhabited island in Chesapeake Bay.