Graham Slam Cake
Graham cracker cake layers baked on a graham cracker crust with graham cracker butter swirled in vanilla buttercream, covered in graham cracker buttercream.
Ingredients
FOR THE GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST
- 2 cups (240 g) finely ground graham crackers about 18 full rectangular crackers
- 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter melted
- 1/3 cup (70 g) granulated sugar
FOR THE CAKE
- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (120 g) finely ground graham crackers about 8 full rectangular crackers
- 1 3/4 teaspoons (7 g) baking powder
- 1 teaspoon (2.6 g) cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon (3 g) baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon (4.2 g) salt
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 2/3 cups (333.3 g) granulated sugar
- 4 large or extra large eggs at room temperature
- 2 cups (480 g) buttermilk at room temperature
FOR THE GRAHAM CRACKER BUTTER
- 9 graham crackers full rectangles
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.1 g) cinnamon
- 1/4 cup (59 g) water plus 1 to 2 tablespoons, if needed
- 2 tablespoons (42 g) honey
- 3 tablespoons (42.5 g) unsalted butter melted
FOR THE VANILLA BUTTERCREAM
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter slightly cold
- 3 cups (375 g) powdered sugar measured and then sifted
- 1 teaspoon (4.2 g) vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons (57.75 g) heavy whipping cream
- Pinch of salt
FOR THE GRAHAM CRACKER BUTTERCREAM
- 2 cups (452 g) unsalted butter slightly cold
- 5 1/2 cups (687.5 g) powdered sugar measured and then sifted
- 1/2 cup (60 g) finely ground graham crackers about 5 full graham crackers
- 1/4 cup (57.75 g) heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon (2.6 g) cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon (4.6 g) vanilla extract
- *This buttercream recipe gives you enough to frost the outside of your cake and pipe additional designs on top, if you'd like.
Instructions
FOR THE GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Spray three 8-inch or four 6-inch round cake pans with non-stick spray and then line with parchment. Spray again. Set aside.
- Place the graham crackers in a food processor or blender and pulse until the crackers are finely ground and resemble sand.
- In a medium-size bowl combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and sugar. Stir until all the graham cracker crumbs are dampened by the melted butter.
- Divide the mixture evenly between the three pans and press down firmly with your hand or the back of a spoon.
- Bake for 5 minutes. Let cool while you make the cake layers.
FOR THE CAKE
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F.
- Place the graham crackers in a food processor or blender and pulse until the crackers are finely ground and resemble sand.
- In a medium-size bowl, combine 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 speed until light and fluffy, about 3 to 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 low speed, add 1/3 of the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Slowly add half of the buttermilk, followed by another 1/3 of the dry ingredients, the second half of the buttermilk and the final 1/3 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, right on top of the graham cracker crust) and bake for about 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs on it. Cool 10 minutes on a wire rack before inverting onto cooling racks to cool completely.
FOR THE GRAHAM CRACKER BUTTER
- In a food processor or blender, combine the graham crackers and cinnamon. Pulse until the crackers resemble the texture of sand.
- Add 1/4 cup water and pulse until the crumbs become "wet."
- Stream in the butter and honey and continnue to pulse, about a minute, until the mixture comes together in a smooth, creamy consistency. If the mixture seems too thick, add another one to two tablespoons water.
FOR THE VANILLA BUTTERCREAM
- In the bowl of electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes.
- With the mixer on low, slowly add the powdered sugar, followed by the heavy whipping cream, vanilla, and salt.
- Turn the mixer to medium-high speed and beat the buttercream for 4-5 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. This will lighten the texture and color of the buttercream.
FOR THE GRAHAM CRACKER BUTTERCREAM
- Place the graham crackers in a food processor or blender and pulse until the crackers are finely ground and resemble sand.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the powdered sugar, followed by the graham cracker crumbs. Make sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- Add the heavy whipping cream, cinnamon, and vanilla.
- Turn the mixer to medium-high speed and beat the buttercream for an additional 5 minutes.
ASSEMBLY
- Before assembly, swirl the graham cracker butter into the vanilla buttercream. Don't overmix to blend the two, just gently, swirl the graham cracker butter into the buttercream so you have ribbons of flavor throughout.
- Place the first cake layer on a cake board, with the graham cracker layer on the bottom. Gently and evenly spread half of the vanilla buttercream and graham cracker butter mixture over the cake layer.
- 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 graham cracker 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 graham cracker buttercream.