Mrs Kitching'S Smith Island 10-Layer Cake - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 cups sugar
1/2 lb unsalted butter, cubed room temperature
5 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup evaporated milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup water
1/2 lb unsalted butter, cubed room temperature
24 ounces evaporated milk
8 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa (powder)
2 lbs confectioners' sugar

Preparation

Lightly grease and flour dust 10 (or aim at baking 3 at a time) 9-inch round pans. (I also use greased parchment on bottom.) Oven middle rack, 350\u00b0F.
Cream together sugar and butter.
Add eggs one at a time. Beat till smooth.
Sift flour with salt and baking powder and mix into batter one cup at a time.
Slowly pour in evaporated milk while mixing.
Then add vanilla and water till batter is uniform.
Put 1/2 cup of batter into pan, smoothing out with back of spoon.
Bake for 8 minutes or until it no longer 'sizzles' in pan. Layers will be slightly golden and released from pan edges. Let cool only 3 minutes in pan.
Run spatula around edge (if it tears, use as a middle layer.) and cool on rack.
Icing: Melt butter then remove from heat.
Stir in evaporated milk.
Whisk in cocoa till smooth and return to low heat for 10 minutes. Stir and do NOT boil or scorch.
Remove from heat and whisk in confectioners' sugar slowly.
Return to low heat occasionally stirring for about 45 minutes or until icing is thick and sticks to back of spoon or whisk. Cool.
Put two tablespoons of icing between each layer and spread just barely to the edge before next layer goes on top. Take your time as icing will be 'fluid' and harden or dry out slowly.