Inspired by my friend’s favorite cold stone ice cream flavor. It has graham cracker cake layers on a graham cracker crust filled with a sweet raspberry filling, covered in a birthday cake batter buttercream.
Prep Time 15 minutesminutes
Cook Time 30 minutesminutes
15 2 hourshours30 minutesminutes
Total Time 3 hourshours15 minutesminutes
Servings 16
Author Molly Murphy
Ingredients
For the Graham cracker crust
2cupsfinely ground graham crackersabout 18 full rectangular crackers, pulverized (I used Keebler’s graham cracker crumbs)
½cupunsalted buttermelted
⅓cupgranulated sugar
For the graham cracker cake layer
2cupsall-purpose flour
1cupfinely ground graham crackersabout 8 full rectangular crackers
1 ¾teaspoonsbaking powder
1teaspooncinnamon
1teaspoonbaking soda
1teaspoonsalt
1cupunsalted butter at room temperature
1cupgranulated sugar
⅔cupbrown sugarpacked
4large or extra large eggs at room temperature
1teaspoonvanilla extract
2cupsbuttermilk at room temperature
For the raspberry filling
4cupsfresh or frozen raspberries
1cupgranulated sugar
¼cupwateradded to raspberry mixture
¼cupwaterused to make the cornstarch slurry
¼cupcornstarch
For the cake batter buttercream
2cupsunsalted butterslightly cold
5cupspowdered sugarsifted
2cupsdry Yellow Cake Mix cooked at 250 degrees for 15 minutesthis bakes the flour so its edible. Sift with the powdered sugar
¼cupheavy whipping cream
1teaspoonpure vanilla extract
*This buttercream recipe makes enough to fill and cover your cake. If you want to add additional pipingyou’ll want to make an extra ½ batch
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Spray three 8-inch or four 6-inch round cake pans with non-stick cooking spray and then line with parchment paper. Spray again. Set aside.
In a medium-sized bowl combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and sugar. With a rubber spatula, stir until all the graham cracker crumbs are combined with the melted butter. You should be able to squeeze the mixture and have it stick together.
Divide the mixture evenly between the three pans and press down firmly with your hand or the back of a spoon (about ¾ cup in each pan).
Bake for 10 minutes. Let cool while you make the cake layers.
For the Graham Cracker Cake
Keep your oven at 325.
If you need to pulverize your graham crackers, do it now. They should resemble sand.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the graham cracker crumbs, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Whisk until the ingredients are well-blended. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl between each addition.
With the mixer on the lowest speed, add ⅓ of the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Slowly add half of the buttermilk, followed by another ⅓ of the dry ingredients, the second half of the buttermilk and the final ⅓ of dry ingredients. Mix until combined, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and slowly mix for another 20-30 seconds.
Divide the batter evenly among your pans (about 20 ounces in each for 8 inch pans) right on top of the baked graham cracker crust and bake for about 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs on it. Cool 15 minutes on a wire rack before transferring the cake layers out of the cake pan and onto cooling racks to cool completely.
For the Raspberry Filling
Place the berries, granulated sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and ¼ cup of water in a saucepan and heat over medium high heat.
With a rubber spatula, stir the mixture until it begins to boil.
Lower the heat to medium-low and allow the filling to simmer for 10-15 minutes.
In a separate small bowl, make a slurry by combining the remaining ¼ cup of water with the corn starch. Stir until the cornstarch has fully dissolved into the water.
Add this corn starch mixture into the berry mixture.
Turn the heat to medium high. Be sure to stir constantly during this stage to prevent the filling from burning.
Cook until the mixture begins to boil then reduce the heat to medium low.
Continue to stir and cook for a few additional minutes to cook out the corn starch flavor.
Turn off heat and pour the berry filling into a separate bowl to cool down. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or preferably overnight.
For the cake batter buttercream
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high until it's light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
Sift the cooked and cooled dry cake mix and the powdered sugar together. Set aside.
After the cake mix and the powdered sugar is sifted, add it to the beaten butter, and beat on high for 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and add the cream and vanilla and mix again.
With a rubber spatula beat out the air bubbles by hand.
Assembly
Place the first cake layer on a cake board, with the graham cracker layer on the bottom. Gently and evenly spread half of the cake batter buttercream onto the cake layer, followed by a some raspberry compote.
Repeat with the second layer of cake.
Place your final cake layer, with the graham cracker layer on the bottom, on top of the second layer of filling.
Apply a thin layer of the cake batter buttercream around the entire cake and freeze the cake for 10 to 15 minutes.
Once the crumb coat is set, finish frosting and decorating the cake with the remaining cake batter buttercream. Garnish with raspberries.