Miami Beach Birthday Cake

  This cake is so delectable, you'll have to restrain yourself to only eat one piece!

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (you can sub pecans if you'd like)
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter
1-1/2 cups+2 Tbsp sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1-1/4 cups buttermilk (or milk+ 1 Tbsp vinegar, stir and let sit 5 min)
1 cup heavy whipping cream

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Grease and flour the bottoms of two 9" layer pans.
Melt 1/3 cup of the chocolate morsels in microwave.
In small bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter.
Stir in the nuts and the 2/3 cup unmelted chocolate morsels. Set aside.
In another separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In another larger bowl, cream the butter and 1-1/2 cups sugar.
Add the eggs, one at a time and beat well.
Blend in the melted chocolate and vanilla.
At low speed, add the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients.
Pour evenly into both pans.
Sprinkle the graham cracker mixture on top.
Bake for 30-40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
Cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:
Beat the heavy whipping cream with the 2 Tbsp sugar until stiff.
Frost the middle, then layer and frost top and sides of cake, keeping layers top-side up.
Refrigerate, and serve cold.