ART SMITH 12 LAYER CHOCOLATE CAKE

**got this in the mail**


Remember when the most complicated thing about dessert was choosing between a brownie and a Good Humour bar? maybe it's time we get back to basics. If offered cardamom custard-filled persimmon strudel poached in a cistachio crem reduction, just say no. A dish of ginger-infused caramelized rose petals should be sprinkled into bathwater, not served after dinner. In other words, let us eat cake! which isn't to say that a simple layer cake is always a piece of cake to make. Oprah's chef, Art Smith, is not content to stop at two or three layers. His great-great-grandmother's recipe calls 12 layers - pancake thin - of buttery white cake sandwiched between ribbons of fudgy icing. For Oprah, it was love at first bite. "Art served this at a luncheon we were having at Harpo. The cake was still warm, and the chocolate literally melted in my mouth. Talk about a sensual experience - it stopped the meeting." Serve this cake with cold milk or hot coffee. Its a little slice of heaven.



Butter, flour and waxed paper for coating the pans
¾ pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2¼ cups sugar
6 eggs
4¼ cups all-purpose flour, sifted three times
1½ tsp. baking powder
Pinch of salt
3 cups of milk
1½ tsp. vanilla extract
Icing

3 cups sugar
½ cup high-quality cocoa powder
½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
Pecan halves for garnish (optional)


Preheat the oven to 375°C. Butter four 9-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with waxed paper, then butter the paper. Flour the pans.
Using a mixer, cream the softened butter and sugar. When the mixture is light and fluffy, add the eggs one at a time. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula to make sure the mixture is well blended.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. To the butter-and-egg mixture, gradually add the flour mixture and milk, alternating between them. Continue to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Once the flour and milk are incorporated, add the vanilla extract.
Add 1 cup of batter to each prepared pan and bake 10 to 20 minutes, or until light brown. Remove the layers from the pans and cool on a wire rack, placing the paper side down. Wash the pans. Butter and flour the pans again for the next batch of cakes.

Repeat the process until 12 layers are baked.
When all the layers have cooled, make the icing. Combine the sugar, cocoa, butter and evaporated milk in a large saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil, then reduce heat and cool 2 minutes until icing is thin but spreadable. (This icing becomes thicker as it cools.) Add the vanilla extract.

Remove the waxed paper from each layer. Place one layer of cake on a wire rack and spread with icing. (For easier cleanup, assemble the cake over an edged sheet pan to collect runoff icing.) Add the next layer and ice it. Continue adding icing layers, then pour remaining icing over the top. Icing that drips down can be used to cover the sides. Garnish with pecan halves, if desired