Gooey Butter Cake

Name: Gooey Butter Cake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 65 min
Ingredients: 1 box yellow cake mix; ¾ cup (1 1/2 sticks) salted butter ((divided use)); 4 large eggs ((divided use)); 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract ((divided use)); 8 ounce block cream cheese, softened to room temperature; 5 cups powdered sugar ((plus more for garnish))

JUMP TO RECIPE

This simply delicious Gooey Butter Cake is made with yellow cake mix and has a tender, soft, gooey inside with a slightly crispy caramelized edge that’s absolutely irresistible!

A SIMPLE GOOEY DESSERT RECIPE

Have you ever made a gooey butter cake? If you haven’t then you are missing out! This is one of my favorite desserts. It whips up quickly and there are so many ways to make it! It’s kind of a cross between a bar dessert and a cake. It’s simple to make and it is an easy recipe to follow since you’re basically just turning a simple cake mix into an even more delicious cake. Trust me when I say that this cake is something you’ll be craving. If you prefer thick and gooey then the center pieces are for you. But if you prefer slightly crispy edges, then the outside pieces are where you want to dig in!

A dessert plate with a slice of Gooey Butter Cake.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Any helpful tips to get this to turn out properly?

This cake is supposed to be a little gooey in texture. I think the key to this is not to overbake the cake. I know some of us have a tendency to keep the cake in teh oven for a few minutes longer, but by the time you do that, the cake can get overbaked and will no longer bey gooey in the middle. If you really don’t like the gooey party, you can leave it in the oven a bit longer, just be careful.
Also, be sure to bake this on the middle rack of your oven for best results.

Is this cake super sweet?

The absolute best version, it is sweet but not OVERLY sweet like some other recipes out there.

Do I need the powdered sugar?

I honestly don’t think it needs the extra powdered sugar on top, but that is totally up to the individual, I like to serve it on single slices if desired.

Can I use a different cake mix?

Switch up the flavor and use different cake mixes! I think this would be good with a White Cake Mix, French Vanilla Cake Mix, Confetti Cake Mix, or your other favorite flavors. You can use any brands or flavors really since you don’t need the directions or ingredients on the box, you’re just using the directions and ingredients listed here.

What’s the best way to serve this cake?

I personally like it a little warm, so if you have leftovers, I like to microwave each slice for 15 seconds before eating. I like serving this when still a little warm too.

How to store leftovers?

Keeps at room temperature for up to 5 days. Keep this cake for longer by freezing for up to 3 months in a freezer safe container.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)

yellow cake mix– grab your favorite store bought cake mix, or grab my Yellow Cake Mix recipe to use your own homemade version. You can make this with chocolate cake or marble cake or strawberry cake – pretty much any flavor!
salted butter – you want really butter here, not margarine. Also, you can use unsalted butter but I think the little tiny bit of salt in salted butter helps cut the overall sweetness just a little.
large eggs
vanilla extract
block cream cheese– softened to room temperature. If you forget to grab your cream cheese from the fridge early enough, you can soften your cream cheese fast with these tips.
powdered sugar

HOW TO MAKE GOOEY BUTTER CAKE

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray (I like the kind with flour in it) and set aside. In a microwave safe bowl, melt ½ cup (1 stick) of butter and allow to cool slightly. In a large bowl with an electric hand mixer or in the body of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix together the cake mix, ½ cup melted butter, 2 eggs, and half the vanilla until well combined. The mixture will be thick. Press this mixture until the bottom of the 9×13-inch baking dish.

Melt the remaining ¼ cup (½ stick) of butter and allow to cool slightly. In a medium bowl with an electric hand mixer or in the body of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, whip together the cream cheese, remaining ¼ cup melted butter, and remaining 2 eggs until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and slowly stir to combine.

Pour this mixture on top of the crust. Bake on the middle oven rack for 40-50 minutes until golden brown and there is a thin crisp crust on top. It will have a dip in the middle, this is normal.

Allow to cool before slicing to serve. I like to run a butter knife along the entire edge of the baking dish to make sure it doesn’t stick. Add more powdered sugar on top if desired.

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