Graham Cracker Cake (Southern Living 1979)

Both my family and Audry's family love graham crackers.  When Audry saw Graham Cracker Cake in my Southern Living 1979 cookbook, it was a definite pick.  However, Chery and Audry do most of the baking around here, so I was both excited and apprehensive about being in charge of a cake, particularly a cake that was for everyone to try.

I thought it turned out really pretty, though.

When I realized the recipe was for a three-layer cake, I knew I was going to have to make more people my guinea pigs.  Thankfully this month's supper club from our small group at church was willing. 

Here's the original recipe.  It took most of the afternoon for me to make.  I'm just not proficient with baking cakes.

I, of course, "had" to modify this recipe.  Shortening?  A total of seven eggs?  Three cups of sugar?  Not for my young 'uns.  My first taste testers - the supper club from my small group along with my hubby and our kids - said it was good.  The adults all said it could have been just a little bit sweeter.  Little man and little miss both wanted second helpings, and Kevin even had another slice.  At sisters' and their families' dinner, the cake went over pretty well.  Junior even got seconds.  Chris said it was the right sweetness level for him, but he is admittedly not a huge dessert fan.  Audry said that it was good, but the cake layer could have been a bit sweeter.  Regardless, I guess you could take your pick for where you wanted to add a little more sugar.  I think I would actually swap the plain yogurt for all vanilla yogurt and see if that did the trick or bump up the sugar in the cake to 3/4 cup, which would have been exactly half the amount in the original recipe.

Graham Cracker Cake
3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs, separated
3/4 cup vanilla yogurt
1/4 cup plus 2 T whole wheat flour
2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
3 cups graham cracker crumbs (I crushed two full sleeves (18 long rectangles) of graham crackers)
1 1/4 cups milk
Filling (recipe follows)
Brown Sugar Frosting (recipe follows)

Cream Greek yogurt and sugar until smooth.  Add egg yolks and vanilla yogurt, beating well.
Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.  Combine with graham cracker crumbs.  Add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition.
Beat egg whites until stiff.  Fold into batter.
Pour the batter into 3 sprayed and well floured 9-inch cakepans.
Bake at 350F for 30 minutes or until done.
Cool completely.
Spread filling between layers.
Frost top and sides of cake with Brown Sugar Frosting.
Store in refrigerator.

Filling
1/4 cup plus 1 T whole wheat flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 t salt
2 cups milk, scalded
2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1 t vanilla extract

Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a saucepan.
Slowly stir in milk; cook over low heat 15 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly.  I cooked mine for about 18 minutes and could have gone longer, I think.
Add a small amount of hot mixture to yolks.  Stir yolk mixture into hot mixture.  Cook an additional 3 minutes longer.
Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.
Cool.

Brown Sugar Frosting
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 T water
2 egg whites

Combine sugar and water in saucepan; cook over low heat to soft ball stage (234F to 240F).  This took about 15 minutes.
Beat egg whites until soft peaks form.  Continue to beat egg whites, gradually adding syrup mixture; beat well.
I ended up with some of this frosting leftover.

Lindy