The Crooked Ladle

Ooey Gooey Butter Cake - Compliments of St. Louis

Easy Gooey Butter Cake - The Semi-Homemade Way

Ooey Gooey Butter Cake - The Semi-Homemade Way

The first time I learned about butter cake is while I was on a business trip in St. Louis, Missouri where local meeting participants were debating who had the best gooey butter cake recipe. I walked away the ultimate winner of that debate because I now had several new recipes all of which had the same ingredients but just varied by a skootch of this or that. If you’ve never had the benefit of trying Gooey Butter Cake, it is a very moist simple one-pan unfrosted cake that looks very inviting and will quench about any sweet tooth. Simply scrumptious!

Serves: 9 to 12

Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Suggested Tools:

· 13x9-inch baking pan

· Electric mixing bowl or large bowl with electric handmixer

· Large bowl

· Measuring cups

· Measuring spoons

· Stir spoon

Ingredients:

Cake Base -

. 15.25 ounce yellow cake mix

· 2 large eggs

· ½ cup butter, melted

· 1 teaspoon vanilla

Crust Topping –

· 8 ounces brick cream cheese, room temperature or softened

· 4 cups powdered sugar, plus more for optional dusting on top after the bake

· 2 large eggs

· 1 teaspoon vanilla

Cake Base Instructions:

Add to an electric mixing bowl or a large bowl the eggs, melted butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla and mix until combined well. Add the box cake mix and mix until well combined [The batter will be rather thick.]

2. By the spoonful, divide the dough somewhat evenly in the bottom of a well-greased 9x13-inch pan (butter or baking spray) and press the dough with your finger tips to ensure there is full coverage of the batter in the bottom of the pan.

Crust Topping Instructions:

1. Combine the softened cream cheese, eggs and vanilla with an electric mixer. Slowly mix in the powdered sugar one cup at a time until all is combined and smooth without lumps. Pour this mixture, as the second layer of the cake, over the thicker cake batter previously pressed into the pan.

2. Bake in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for 40 to 45 minutes until the cake is golden brown. Check on the cake at the 35-minute mark and every five minutes until done. It will have a beautiful golden crust similar to the above image and will have somewhat crusty thicker sides. Cool completely.

Tip: You may want to clean and spray your cutting knife after cutting each slice.

Optional: Dust with powdered sugar after the cake has cooled.