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A delicious moist red velvet cupcake filled with Raspberry filling, a fresh raspberry, and topped off with “The Gray Stuff” Cookies-n-Cream Frosting. The word “scrumptious” comes to mind!

Before we ever left for Disneyland, a month ago, we repeatedly heard that we had to try “The Gray Stuff”! To be honest…that didn’t sound very appealing to me. Gray is my hair color…blah!

I trust my friends though…and if they recommended “The Gray Stuff”…then by golly I was gonna find the “Gray Stuff”. Day 3 at Disneyland and off I went in search of the dessert everyone was raving about!

A trip to Fantasy Land (appropriate don’t you think) and the Red Rose Tavern, led me to the delectable treat. We ordered one “Gray Stuff Gâteau” (First mistake…you should order at least 10!) .

This dessert sits on a crispy buttery cookie topped with a cookie-n-cream mousse, and a red velvet cake and a Raspberry Center!

I was drooling. Honestly the combination of flavors and textures is superb! We gobbled it up.

Coming home to recreate this magnificent dessert…was a must. I just had to figure out what direction I wanted to go with this tower of Yumminess!

I knew I wanted something different from the cookie…because the reality is…few eat the cookie. It’s the cake and the cookies-n-cream mousse that are so divine!

How To Make “The Gray Stuff Cupcakes”

There are three different components to this recipe. The Red Velvet Cupcake, Raspberry Filling, and The Gray Stuff! To keep it simple, I’m going to break the ingredients, and instructions, into three different headings.

Red Velvet Cupcake Ingredients

• Red Velvet Cake Mix (15.25 oz)
• 1 ¼ Cup Water
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup Buttermilk
• 3 eggs

Raspberry Filling *Note you can use raspberry jam or pie filling

• 1 (12 oz.) package fresh raspberries, rinsed
• 3/4 Cup granulated sugar
• 1½ Tablespoons Corn Starch
• 1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam
• 1-2 Tablespoons Water
• 24 Whole Raspberries, rinsed

The Grey Stuff

• 1 ½ Cups Cold Milk
• 1 (3.4 oz.) vanilla pudding
• 15 Oreo cookies, crushed – 3 Tablespoons reserved for garnish
• 1 (8 oz.) Cool Whip
• 3 Tablespoons chocolate pudding

Make The Cupcakes

We take a shortcut and use a boxed cake mix…but we add buttermilk…and suddenly the box mix tastes homemade! Preheat oven to 350°. Line two, 12 cup muffin tins with 24 liners.

Whisk cake mix with wire whisk to break up any clumps in the dry mix. Add water, oil, eggs and buttermilk. Mix on medium speed or beat vigorously by hand 2 minutes.

Fill muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake for 14–19 minutes until center springs back when lightly touched in the center. Place cupcakes on baking rack and cool completely.

TIP: While the cupcakes cool you can make the raspberry filling and the cookies-n-cream mousse frosting.

After the cupcakes have cooled, use a large decorating tip (They make an actual tool for making holes in cupcakes…but why would I have one of those?) make a hole, in the center of the cupcake, that goes about halfway down to the middle of the cupcake. Remove the cake holes and save in a small bowl.

How To Make the Raspberry Filling

While the cupcakes are cooling, make the Raspberry Filling. Remember you can use store bought raspberry pie filling, or a top quality raspberry jam. I love the taste of the fresh raspberry filling. That is me. You do you!

In a medium sauce pan, over medium-low heat, add the 12 ounces of fresh raspberries, (the 24 whole raspberries are for use later), 3/4 cup granulated sugar, & 1½ Tablespoons Cornstarch.

Stir continually until mixture begins to thicken and turn semi-clear.

TIP: You can add 2–3 Tablespoons of water to help dissolve the sugar.

Add ½ cup seedless raspberry jam. Continue stirring over medium-low heat until jam has completely dissolved into filling mixture. Remove from heat, set aside, and allow to cool.

How to Make “The Gray Stuff”

In a large bowl, add 1½ Cup Cold Milk and 1 (3.4 ounce) box instant vanilla pudding, mix until smooth and thick.

Chill 1–2 hours till firm. (Does that work for older women with sagging….? Never mind!)

In a small food processor add 15 Oreo cookies and process until a fine crumb.

Add 1 (8 oz.) container cool whip to vanilla pudding mixture. Fold cool whip and pudding together until well combined.

Add crushed Oreo’s, reserving 2 Tablespoons for garnish, and 3 Tablespoons Chocolate Pudding. Fold mixture together until well combined.

The mixture will need to chill for an additional hour.

TIP: You can make a dessert out of this Cookies-n-Cream Mousse! Fill a pretty glass with “The Gray Stuff” and chill for 1 hour before serving. Garnish with a mini Oreo and a fresh raspberry.

Assembling “Gray Stuff” Cupcakes

Place 1-2 teaspoon of the raspberry filling into the hole in the center of each cupcake. Add 1 whole raspberry on top of the raspberry filling and gently press down.

Replace the reserved cake centers into each hole and gently press down. It’s okay if they stick up a tad.

Frost each cupcake with the Cookies-n-Cream frosting. You can pipe it on, like I did, or you can spread it on top of each cupcake. Sprinkle with the remaining crushed Oreo’s and pearl sprinkles. Cover with plastic wrap and chill until ready to serve.

The raspberry filling will balance out the sweet of the chocolate of the Red Velvet, and the light fluffy mousse of “The Gray Stuff”!

The cake is ultra moist thanks to the addition of the buttermilk. The frosting is light as air and extra creamy. The sparkling ruby raspberry center is extra tangy thanks to the Fresh Raspberries. It’s the perfect balance of various elements, textures, and flavors.

It’s a GREAT cupcake!

This cupcake recipe can also be made into a 9 x 13 baking dish. Just bake the cake per the instructions, poke holes along the top of the cake, spread the raspberry filling over the holes, and top with the frosting! Bam! A beautiful dessert.

TIP: You will need to refrigerate it.

Favorite Cake and Cupcake Recipes

• Red, White, and Blue Poke Cake
• Red Velvet Cupcakes with Buttermilk and Cream Cheese Frosting
• World’s Best Vanilla Cake Recipe
• Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
• Best Dark Chocolate Cake with Dark Buttercream Frosting
• Hot Chocolate Poke Cake from Soulfully Made
• Southern Butter Pecan Pound Cake from Julia’s Simply Southern

Thanks for stopping by my Nest today! I hope you will give this recipe a try! It’s a great dessert.

Happy Nesting!

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