This delectable Gooey Butter Cake has a rich, buttery, soft cake crust and a gooey cream cheese top. It is made with seven easy ingredients in two easy steps. Having this cake prepped and in the oven in less than ten minutes makes it perfect for potlucks, family reunions, neighborhood shindigs, and bridal and baby showers.
You will be so pleased with the results. You will fall madly in love with this family-friendly, easy dessert recipe. If you like this easy dessert recipe, try oatmeal bars, old-fashioned oatmeal cake, and lemon bars.
If you have never tried a Gooey Butter Cake, you must treat yourself!! This is one of those regional recipes. It is a St. Louis original recipe, or so I have been told. It is still up for debate whether a German baker at a South St. Louis bakery or a baker named John Koppe, also from St. Louis, created this treat.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients below on the recipe card.
- Cake mix – yellow cake mix or yellow butter cake mix. See below for variations.
- Butter – unsalted or salted
- Eggs – large, three of them to be exact
- Cream cheese – go for the gusto and use full-fat
- Vanilla extract – use the pure stuff
- Powdered sugar – also known as confectioners’ sugar
How to make Gooey Butter Cake
This is the summary version; see the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients and the instructions.
Start by buttering a 9×13-inch baking dish. Then, in a large bowl, mix a yellow butter cake mix, a stick of melted butter, and an egg. Once combined, pat the dough into the prepared baking dish.
Using a stand or hand electric mixer on medium speed, beat the cream cheese in another large bowl until smooth and lump-free. Then, turn the mixer to low and add the eggs one at a time, mixing until incorporated. Add the vanilla and powdered sugar in several increments, blending just until incorporated.
Pour that layer on top of the cake batter already in the baking dish. Bake in a preheated oven for about 45 minutes. Cool before slicing, and if desired, sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Preparation Tips
- Coat the baking dish with butter or nonstick cooking spray to prevent the crust from sticking and to make removing this soft, gooey cake from the pan easier.
- Soften the cream cheese and bring the eggs to room temperature.
- Load the cake on the middle rack in the center of the oven
- For best results on the top layer, beat the cream cheese until smooth and lump-free. Then, turn the mixer to low and add the eggs one at a time, mixing just until incorporated. Keeping the mixer on low, add the vanilla and powdered sugar (in intervals), mixing just until incorporated.
Flavor variations
- German Chocolate: Substitute a German chocolate cake mix for the butter cake mix on the bottom. Fold 3/4 cup toasted chopped pecans and 1 cup sweetened coconut flakes into the top layer.
- Strawberry: Fold two cups of chopped fresh strawberries into the top layer.
- Pumpkin: Increase eggs to three for the top layer; after adding eggs and vanilla on low, add 15 ounces of pumpkin puree, 1 stick of melted butter cooled slightly (1/2 cup), and 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice. Then, proceed with adding the powdered sugar.
- Lemon: Substitute a lemon cake mix for the butter cake mix on the bottom. In the top layer, omit the vanilla extract, but add three tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
To freeze, cover with a couple of layers of plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil. If they are individual slices, place them in a freezer-safe container or freezer zipper bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
To cut clean slices, spray the knife with nonstick spray and wipe the knife clean with a paper towel after each slice.
You can not use the toothpick method to test for doneness on this cake since it is a gooey cake. 40-45 minutes does the trick with a nice golden brown crust and a light golden brown color for the center.
Any yellow butter cake mix will do. It does not have to be a specific one. My mother always swore by Betty Crocker, but I prefer Duncan Hines. See above for more flavor variations.
More delicious desserts
Gooey Butter Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 yellow butter cake mix or yellow cake mix just the cake mix
- ½ cup butter melted
- 3 large eggs
- 8 ounce package cream cheese softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar plus more for dusting if desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan.
- Mix cake mix, melted butter, and 1 egg. Pat gently into the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
- Using a stand or hand mixer on medium speed, beat the cream cheese until smooth and lump free. Turn the mixer to low and 2 eggs one at a time and mix just until incorporated. Mix in vanilla extract. Mix in powdered sugar in several increments blending just until combined. Pour this mixture on top of the layer in the baking dish. Do NOT mix the two layers together. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown.
- If desired, sprinkle with powdered sugar when fully cooled.
Video
Notes
- Coat the baking dish with butter or nonstick cooking spray to prevent the crust from sticking and to make it easier to remove this soft, gooey cake from the pan.
- Soften the cream cheese and bring the eggs to room temperature.
- Load the cake on the middle rack in the center of the oven
- For best results on the top layer, beat the cream cheese until smooth and lump-free. Then, turn the mixer to low and add the eggs one at a time, mixing just until incorporated. Keeping the mixer on low, add the vanilla and powdered sugar (in intervals), mixing just until incorporated.
Nutrition
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https://www.smalltownwoman.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Beth-1.pdf
Linda
Love this, the key to the gooey part is to not overbake I have found to check 10 min before it is supposed to be done
Deb
Made this 2 weeks ago…it was a family hit!! While it wasn’t ‘gooey’ at all, it was absolutely a winner!!
Beth Pierce
So glad that you liked it. We in and around St. Louis kind of find it gooey! LOL! Thanks for stopping by and leaving such a nice complement!
Sheryl
Is it possible to double this? Will it still turn out ok if I tried to? What do you think? I’ve made it exactly how it said a few times now and I have a pan that’s slightly larger then 9×13 and the bars were so thin, I’m hoping to make a double batch and have it be thicker?
Beth Pierce
To be honest I have never tried it so I am not sure. If you did cooking time may need to be increased.
Cheryl
The recipe allows you to double. See the scale listed under the ingredients.
Rebecca Meeks
Very nice receipe
Beth Pierce
Thank you!! 😉
Heather G
Is there any way to mix the cream cheese layer without having a mixer?? Or do i NEED a mixer for this recipe??
Thanks in advance
Beth Pierce
No you could probably mix it by hand if your cream cheese was good and soft. Happy baking.
Farhina
Should we refrigerate these if I’m planning to serve it two days after baking?
Beth Pierce
Yes that far in advance I would refrigerate it however take it out of the frig an hour or so before serving….trying to get closer to room temp.
Kathy
Do you refrigerate the cake if there are leftovers
Beth Pierce
You can store on the counter for 3-4 days. In the refrigerator for up to a week.
Steve
Made the Gooey Butter Cake for this weeks after dinner snack and it turned out perfectly. This is a keeper. Thank you for your recipes. Happy new year to you and yourn
brittney
is it ok if using 15.75 oz box cake mix? i know some recipes are with the 18 oz box
Beth Pierce
Sure it will be fine. I have made this recipes with all different kinds of cake mixes.
Angelica
I really want to try this cake receipe but I don’t like cream cheese or cheese for that matter, can I substitute it for something else?
bpierce
I am sorry but that is really an important part of that cake. It really does not end up tasting like cream cheese. 🙂
JoAnn
Is it necessary to refrigerate the cake?
Beth Pierce
Yes. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
ruth
hi there, this sounds yummy and I would love to make this, is there any chance you can convert this to uk measure and ingredients? would be so grateful – thank you
Andrea
I Absolutely Love this recipe! I follow it exactly as you’ve written minus the powdered sugar on top and it’s scrumptious! I get so many compliments when I make this, I feel like Betty Crocker!!
Thanks
bpierce
So much fun to hear your success! I am sure you are putting Betty to shame!
Happy Cooking!
Victoria
Do I follow the cake mix instructions when you say mix cake mix meaning my cake mix is pillsbury it requires 3 eggs butter and water. Or am I just using the dry cake mix and adding the one egg and butter for the first step.
bpierce
Just use the dry cake mix and add the egg & butter! Happy baking!
maria
I baked the cake mix for about 15 min then poured the cream cheese topping then baked another 30 min. Came out not as soft and running
bpierce
Thanks for the heads up. I have never had much trouble with it being runny. Of course you need to let it cool all the way. Perhaps I did not mention that in my recipe. Are you by chance at a high altitude?
maria
No.. im in chicago..tryed it both ways.
My husband loved it.and my co-workers. Love love your recipes.
THANK YOU!!
bpierce
You are so very welcome. I am tickled pink that you love my recipes.
ruth
please can you tel me what yellow butter cake mix is (uk)
thanx
bpierce
It is a cake mix that is flavored yellow butter but you can use just a yellow cake mix or white cake mix. Please let me know if you have any more questions.
san
Can I make this in lemon?
bpierce
Yes of course just use a lemon cake mix. There are a lot of different variations of this recipe.
Linda C
How much cream cheese? it is not listed in the ingredients at all.
bpierce
8 ounces or one box. So very sorry. Sometimes it is hard to raise young children and be a food blogger!!
Linda C
thank you 🙂
Andrea
It says 8 oz in the list of ingredients
Joanie
Does it have to be powdered sugar? I prefer regular sugar.
Beth Pierce
I have always used powdered sugar so I am unsure of results with granulated sugar.