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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Yeah Lifestyle.
This looks absolutely mouth watering and your recipe looks so easy to follow. I can’t wait to try making this for the kids on Sunday
Beth Pierce
Thanks Enjoy!
Marysa
I have not had anything like this cake before. Sounds delicious! It is nice to have something a little different to try.
Rosey
Oh yes, count me in for gooey butter cake. This sounds fantastic.
Kristy Bullard
We just went to Paula Deen’s Family Kitchen in The Smoky Mountains and had her Ooey Gooey Butter Cake (vanilla and chocolate). I’m so glad we have this recipe now so that we can make this at home. It’s so good!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Kristy! Enjoy!!
Rhian Westbury
This gooey butter cake is out of this world good. The kids and I really enjoyed it. Thanks for the great recipe.
Tammy
Omgosh I just heard about this cake for the first time on another article I was reading and I was so intrigued to make it!
This looks absolutely divine…decadent and rich. Saving this for the weekend. Cannot wait to try!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Tammy! Enjoy!
Melanie williams
This was so delicious and easy to make! Thanks for sharing the recipe. We really enjoyed it!
Samantha Donnelly
This was a delicious cake! It was even better than Paula Deen’s gooey butter cake.
Christine H
I always loved googey butter cake but haven’t had in years! This sounds delicious. I will have to try this recipe.
Melanie
Oh wow my mouth is absolutely watering here, this looks delicious. I will definitely be giving this a go x
Mosaic Art
omg this butter cake was DELICIOUS AND EASY….Thanks for sharing the recipe. I will make it again.
Beverly Haze
This is one of my favorite go to cakes. My family loves it. I wanted to mention that the leftovers ( if there are any) freezes very well. Wrap the pieces in a single layer and they are just like freshly baked when thawed out!
Beth Pierce
So glad that you like the cake. Thanks for the tip.
Traci
Yummm! And so easy too! Takes me right back to childhood… thanks for sharing 🙂
Alison
So easy, yet so delicious! A big hit our family game night!
Bianca
Who doesn’t love a gooey buttery cake! This one was amazing!
Anjali
Omg I love love love gooey butter cake – it’s one of my favorites!! Yours looks absolutely amazing – cannot wait to try it at home for dessert this week! 🙂