Sardis United Methodist Church Secrets

All across the South in every community there’s those ladies who have perfected the art of baking. Whether it’s pies or cakes or candy, they are the Emeril’s, the Bobby Flays, the Paula Deens of their local churches. Sharing their creations at potlucks or reunions, they proudly display recipes that have been handed down from past generations. Martha Meadows of Slocomb, Alabama is known far and wide for her 15 layer cakes. You read that right, 15 Layers! She learned from her Mother who baked her cakes in a cast iron hoe cake pan. Martha is one of many in this community that makes the time honored cake. Members of the Sardis United Methodist Church make about 1,000 of them, selling various sizes for $5 a pound. A couple of years ago, they made enough to buy a new grand piano for the church. Last year, the cakes helped pay to remodel the church kitchen. In this corner of the country, where cotton and peanuts pay the bills, the worth of a cook can be measured in cake layers!

Mrs. Meadows uses a simple stand mixer to prepare the yellow batter and rotates six cake pans in and out of the oven, frosting each layer with warm, boiled chocolate icing as the next batch bakes. The result is known as a Little Layer Cake because the layers are thin. Baking and frosting one takes her two hours, “If you don’t count the cleaning!”
Over Christmas she’ll bake about 10, selling some to neighbors and donating others to her Baptist church.

The cake ladies of Alabama distinguish themselves with cakes whose recipes are a century old.

If you are thinking you might want to try this on your own, here’s some lessons from the Alabama Ladies:

How long do I beat the batter?
Mrs. Meadows: “It needs to be beaten a pretty good little bit,”
How long should I cook the icing?
Mrs. Meadows: “When it gets to cooking, turn it down.”

Another recipe from and 80 year old Augusta, Georgia lady simply said “Make a yellow cake.” Seventy-seven year old Jean Strickland said it was the best way she knows to make herself feel better- “If you get down and out, just get in the kitchen and bake a cake!” If you are feeling brave, here's the adapted recipe as posted in the NY Times!

Chocolate Little Layer Cake
Adapted from Martha Meadows
FOR THE CAKE:
2 sticks butter, more to grease pans
2 1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup shortening
5 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
5 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
5 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups milk
FOR THE ICING:
5 cups of sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
1 stick butter, cut into pieces
1 15-ounce can evaporated milk
1/2 cup whole milk
2 teaspoons vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease three 9-inch cake pans and line with rounds of parchment or waxed paper.

2. In a mixer, cream together butter, sugar and shortening until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time and continue to mix on medium until eggs are well incorporated. Stir in vanilla.

3. Sift flour, then add salt, baking soda and baking powder. Sift a second time. With mixer on low, alternately add flour mixture and milk in about 4 additions, then increase speed to medium. Beat until smooth, about 4 to 5 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl.

4. Spread 3/4 cup batter in each pan. Bake 6 to 8 minutes, or until cake springs lightly when pressed with a finger. Flip cake out of pan onto paper towels or cake rack while still very warm. Repeat with second set of layers.

5. When first layers go into oven, start to make icing. Put sugar and cocoa in a deep, heavy-bottomed saucepan and mix well. Turn heat to medium-high and add butter and milks, bringing to a boil. Boil for about 4 minutes, stirring continually, careful to watch that it does not boil over. Lower heat to simmer, add vanilla and stir occasionally for another 7 to 10 minutes. If using a candy thermometer, cook to the point just before soft ball stage or about 230 degrees.

6. Begin icing first layers, still warm, when second batch is in the oven. Flip layers over so that top side faces up. Use about 4 tablespoons of icing per layer. Icing will be thin but will firm up as it cools. Stack layers, then continue icing and stacking as layers are baked.

7. When all layers are iced and stacked, glaze top and sides of cake. Contours of layers will be visible through icing. If icing hardens too much while frosting cake, set back on low heat and stir until it is spreadable.

Yield: One 12-layer cake.