Heavenly layers of vanilla bean cake, nestled on a graham cracker crust, paired with a cheesecake and a blueberry compote, frosted by a velvety blueberry buttercream
Course Dessert
Cuisine Cake
Keyword blueberry, graham cracker, cheesecake
Servings 16
Author Molly Murphy
Ingredients
For the Graham cracker crust
2cupsfinely ground graham crackers about 18 full rectangular crackers pulverized I used Keebler’s graham cracker crumbs
½cupunsalted butter melted
⅓cupgranulated sugar
For the Cake
1cupunsalted butter room temperature
1¾cupgranulated sugar
1tablespoonsvegetable oil
2large whole eggs room temperature
4large egg whiteroom temperature
⅓cupsour cream room temperature
1Tablespoonpure vanilla extract
1teaspoonvanilla bean paste
3cupscake flour spoon and leveled
1Tablespoonbaking powder
1teaspoonsalt
1¼cupsbuttermilk room temperature
For the Blueberry Compote
2Tablespoonswater
1cupblueberries
½cupgranulated sugar
1Tablespooncornstarch
⅓cupwater for the slurry
For the cheesecake filling
8ouncescream cheese
¼cupgranulated sugar
½cupheavy whipping cream
For the blueberry buttercream
2cupsunsalted butter slightly chilled
5cupspowdered sugar measured and then sifted
¼cupfreeze dried bluberries pulverized and then measured
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Spray three 8-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 with your hand and have it stick together.
Divide the mixture evenly (about ¾ C in each) between the three pans and press down firmly with your hand or the back of a spoon.
Bake for 10 minutes. While the crust cools, make the cake batter.
While the graham cracker crusts are baking, make the vanilla cake layers
For the cake
Keep your oven at 325 F
In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, oil, and sugar on medium speed until fluffy and smooth, about 4 minutes. With a rubber spatula, scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl.
Start adding the egg whites, and whole eggs, one at a time, beating on medium speed after each addition. I usually beat each egg/ egg white for about 30 seconds. Scrape the bowl after each addition. Once all the eggs are added, beat on medium low for 30 more seconds.
Add the sour cream and both vanilla’s. Mix on medium low speed for a minute. If the mixture looks clumpy, don’t worry, once you add the flour mixture it will smooth out.
Turn the mixer on low and add ⅓ of the flour and ½ of the buttermilk to the butter mixture and mix ON LOW until almost incorporated. Add another ⅓ of the flour and the rest of the buttermilk. Mix just until a few streaks of flour remain, then add the rest of the flour mixture. Mix just until the flour streaks are mostly gone.
Evenly distribute the cake batter among the prepped cake pans with the graham cracker crust and bake for 28-31 minutes (mine took about 31 minutes, but my oven runs a little hotter) or until a toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs on it or until it starts to get a little golden brown on top.
Remove cakes from the oven and let them cool in the pans for 15 minutes before transferring them out of the pan and placing them on cooling racks.
When cakes are completely cooled, wrap each cake layer individually with plastic wrap and stick it in the refrigerator or freezer until you’re ready to frost
For the Blueberry Compote
In a small sauce pan over medium heat, combine the blueberries, sugar and water. Stir until combined. Let it continue cooking until the blueberries start to open and it creates a sauce.
Make a slurry by combining the water and the cornstarch. Making sure your blueberry compote is hot, add the slurry (the heat helps activate the corn starch). Stir until it starts to thicken. When you first add the slurry, it will be a light purple. Cook it until it darkens. This means you are cooking out the flavor of the corn starch.
Set aside and let it come to room temperature. Place plastic wrap on top of the blueberry compote to prevent a skin from forming. As it cools down, it will thicken more (you can put it in the fridge, if you desire, to help the cool down process go faster).
For The Cheesecake Filling
In a medium sized mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese for about 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl, and on medium speed, sprinkle in the granulated sugar.
In a stainless steel bowl, whisk the heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form.
With a rubber spatula, fold half of the whipped heavy whipping cream into the cream cheese mixture. Then fold in the rest.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.
For the blueberry buttercream
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, soften the butter by creaming it for about 2 minutes.
With the mixer on low speed, add the sifted powdered sugar.
Add the freeze dried blueberries and blueberry emulsion.
With mixer on medium speed, add the whipping cream and salt.
Turn the mixer to medium speed and beat for an additional 5 minutes. The frosting will become lighter in color and texture. With a rubber spatula, beat by hand to beat out any air pockets.
Assembly
Level cakes, if needed. Place the first cake layer, graham cracker crust side down, in the center of a cake board with a dollop of frosting to act as glue.
Using the blueberry buttercream, pipe a small rim of frosting around the edge of the cake.
Spread half of the cheesecake filling over the cake layer. Using the back of a spoon, slowly work the cream cheese to the edge of the piped rim.
Add around ⅓ cup of the blueberry compote to the top of the cheesecake filling. With the spoon, I pressed mine in to make sure it was even. Get eye level with the cake to ensure there isn’t too much filling that it will come out of the sides. (You will h ave extra compote to put on the top, so if you have extra don’t worry too much)
Place the next cake layer with the graham cracker crust side down onto the cheesecake filling and repeat the first step.
Place the final cake layer, with the graham cracker crust side down onto the blueberry compote/cheesecake filling.
Apply a thin coat of blueberry buttercream over the cake. This is the crumb coat. You’ll then freeze the cake for 15 minutes to set the crumb coat and lock in the crumbs.
After the crumb coat is set, finish frosting the cake with the remaining buttercream.
To decorate, which is completely optional, I added whipped cream to the top then added the rest of the blueberry compote.