Smith Island cake, MD state dessert, gets new spotlight with ‘trail’

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Somerset County will highlight Maryland’s state dessert with the Smith Island Cake Trail, launching this summer on the Eastern Shore.

The cake trail, created by Somerset County Tourism, connects visitors with bakeries, restaurants and local spots serving authentic Smith Island cake throughout the county.

Smith Island cake was declared as Maryland’s official state dessert in 2008. The dessert originated on Smith Island, Maryland’s last inhabited offshore island.

Traditionally, the cake consists of eight to 10 layers of classic yellow cake with chocolate fudge frosting between each layer and slathered over the whole. Nowadays, many flavor variations exist.

“Smith Island cake tells a story,” Director of Somerset County Department of Tourism Clint Sterling said. “It represents family traditions, community gatherings, and the pride we have in Somerset County and Smith Island. This trail gives people an opportunity to experience that in a real and memorable way.”

The self-guided trail features 11 participating locations throughout Somerset County. Visitors can start anywhere along the trail and check in at participating stops for a chance to win a free Smith Island cake.

Here’s how to participate in the Smith Island cake Trail:

• Register once online to receive a personal trail link
• Visit participating Cake Trail locations in Somerset County
• Scan the QR code at each location to collect digital stamps
• Collect six stamps to be entered to win a free Smith Island cake

No app is required, and participants can complete the trail at their own pace while exploring Somerset County.

Whether someone is trying Smith Island cake for the first time or has been enjoying it for years, Somerset County hopes the trail offers a deeper connection to the people, history, and traditions behind every slice, Somerset County Tourism said in a news release.

To view the Smith Island Cake Trail, visit https://visitsomerset.com/cake-trail.

Here are the stops on the Smith Island Cake Trail:

• Bayside Restaurant
• Harborside Restaurant
• Smith Island Bakery
• Drum Point Market
• Sisters With A Twist
• Chesapeake Seafood and Steak
• Linton’s Seafood
• Hoyt Harbor
• Experience Smith Island
• Smith Island Baking Company
• Home Kitchen

Reporting by Olivia Minzola, Salisbury Daily Times / USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect.