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Jump To Recipe by Lily Ernst//October 16, 2021
Popular since the 1930s, this ooey gooey butter cake is a classic dessert with its signature butter cake crust and gooey top layer. This sticky-sweet indulgence is easy to make and sure to please! 
What is gooey butter cake?
Gooey butter cake is a flat, dense cake made with two distinct layers; a cake crust and a soft gooey layer on top. The crust was originally made with a yeasted cake dough, but modern-day versions are commonly made with yellow cake mix or a simple butter cake batter. The original top layer was made with corn syrup, sugar, and powdered eggs, but again, over time, most recipes shifted over to a topping made with cream cheese, eggs, and sugar. This version is also called ooey gooey butter cake, made popular by celebrity chef Paula Deen.
Gooey butter cake originated back in the 1930s in St. Louis, Missouri. The story is that a baker named John Hoffman accidentally reversed the proportions of butter and flour and didn’t realize his mistake until after the cake was baked. Instead of throwing it out, he cut it into squares and sold it as gooey butter cake. It was such a big hit that it became St. Louis’s signature dessert. (reference: NYT Cooking)
Why this gooey butter cake recipe is so great:
- Easy to make – This recipe is made from scratch without a cake mix but is just as easy to prepare. It’s also made without yeast, so there is no proofing. Both the cake and gooey topping are each made in one bowl. You simply mix, layer, and bake.
- Texture – What’s amazing about this cake is the contrast between the two layers. The bottom cake layer is firm with a crunchy golden crust, while the top layer is creamy and soft, so you get the best of both worlds in every bite.
- Taste– The taste is rich and buttery. It’s like a combination of a sugar cookie bar topped with a cream cheese custard – absolutely heaven!
- Feeds a crowd and can be made in advance – It’s made in a 9×13″ pan so it can be cut into 24 squares and made 3 days in advance.
How to make gooey butter cake from scratch:
(the ingredient amounts are listed in the printable recipe card further below)
- In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and granulated sugar. Then whisk in the egg and vanilla.
- Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Spoon the batter into a greased 9×13″ pan and press evenly into the bottom of the pan.
- In another large bowl and using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and eggs together until combined. Mix in the powdered sugar until smooth.
- Pour the cream cheese mixture on top and bake at 325F for 45 minutes until golden brown around the edges. Let cool to room temperature before cutting into squares.
Expert tips:
- Do not overbake – Once the edges are golden and the top is puffed up, it’s done. The center will still be wobbly and continue to cook while it cools. You don’t want the center to be completely set when it comes out of the oven or it won’t be gooey.
- Chill in the fridge for one hour – For clean cuts, chill it in the fridge for one hour after it’s cooled.
FAQ:
Do you refrigerate ooey gooey butter cake?
Yes, you should refrigerate gooey butter cake because it’s made with cream cheese.
How to store ooey gooey butter cake:
Cover and store in the fridge for up to one week.
Can you freeze gooey butter cake?
Yes, cut the completely cooled cake into squares and place them in a freezer-friendly container or ziplock bag. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and dust with powdered sugar before serving. 
You might also like:
- Old-Fashioned Chess Pie
- Southern Buttermilk Pie
- Coconut Cream Pie
- Baked Rice Pudding
- Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding w/ Bourbon Sauce
Did you make this recipe? Please kindly leave a comment with your star rating below.
Gooey Butter Cake
- Author: Lily Ernst
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 15-24 squares
Description
Popular since the 1930s, this ooey gooey butter cake is a classic dessert with its signature butter cake crust and gooey top layer.
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 cup (227g) butter, melted
- 1 & 1/2 (300g) cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 & 1/2 cups (315g) all-purpose flour
- 2 & 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
Topping
- 1 pkg (8oz) cream cheese, softened
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups (250g) confectioners’ sugar plus more for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325F and grease a 9×13″ baking dish.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and granulated sugar. Then whisk in the egg and vanilla.
- Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and press evenly onto the bottom.
- In another large bowl and using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and eggs together until combined. Mix in the powdered sugar until smooth. Pour the cream cheese mixture on top of the cake.
- Bake for about 45 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and the top is puffed up. The center should still be wobbly. Let cool completely and dust with confectioners’ sugar before serving.
Notes
Leftovers can be covered and stored in the fridge for up to one week.
Expert tips:
- Do not overbake – Once the edges are golden and the top is puffed up, it’s done. The center will still be wobbly and continue to cook while it cools. You don’t want the center to be completely set or it won’t be gooey.
- Chill in the fridge for one hour – For clean cuts, chill it in the fridge for one hour after it’s cooled.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 45 min
- Category: dessert
- Method: bake
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: gooey butter cake recipe
Recipe adapted from Taste of Home.
originally published October 16, 2021 — last updated March 19, 2022// 10 Comments
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Mike —Reply
Hello. I was wondering what droveyour choice for adding both sticks of butter to the cake vs adding 1 to the cake and 1 to the topping? Just curious if you had experimented with splitting them and adding them to the topping and then adding all to the cake etc..
Thanks!
Lily Ernst —Reply
Hi Mike, you need that amount of butter for the butter cake bottom, or else it will be dry, and it’s not needed for the topping or it will be too greasy. I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any other questions:)
Victoria Cherry —Reply
Loved the ease of it, the delicious taste of it…will make again…adapted ingredients for my 5 year old granddaughter so she could be a master chef also…she made cupcakes♥️
★★★★★
Lily Ernst —Reply
Aww, how sweet. Thank you for your kind words, Victoria. Enjoy the gooey butter cupcakes with your granddaughter!
Amy —Reply
I’ sorry, but REAL original gooey butter cake has NO cream cheese in the filling.
Your recipe looks and sounds delicious! 😋
Lily Ernst —Reply
Thanks and you’re right! Original gooey butter cake was made without cream cheese, but over time, most recipes shifted over to a topping made with cream cheese, eggs, and sugar.
Dan —Reply
How about ingredient amounts
Lily Ernst —Reply
The ingredient amounts and full instructions are in the recipe card just above this comment section.
Beth —Reply
The recipe was super easy to follow and the texture is to die for! Will definitely try this again.
★★★★★
Lily Ernst —Reply
I’m so happy to hear and thank you, Beth!
10 Comments on “Gooey Butter Cake”
FAQs
How do you make Paula Deen's gooey butter cake? ›
- Preheat oven to 350°. ...
- In a large bowl, beat cake mix, egg, and 1/2 cup melted butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until combined. ...
- In a large bowl, beat cream cheese at low speed with an electric mixer until smooth. ...
- Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until center is slightly set.
This story alleges that the baker got the butter smears mixed up, resulting in a delicious accident. The mistake was made during the Great Depression, so supplies for ingredients were low and they had no intention to waste food. So, they sold this new cake as it was.
What is gooey butter cake made of? ›Gooey butter cake is a type of cake traditionally made in St. Louis, Missouri. It is a flat and dense cake made with wheat cake flour, butter, sugar, and eggs, typically near an inch tall, and dusted with powdered sugar.
Why is gooey butter cake so good? ›Traditionally, it starts with a yeasted crust, which gets filled with a mixture of butter, sugar, eggs, corn syrup, and vanilla, and baked until just barely set. The result is chewy, rich, and creamy, almost like a vanilla pudding that's been nestled into a blondie.
What makes a cake gluey? ›The sinking part is what makes the dense and gluey streaks. This can be result of over-creaming the eggs, butter and sugar. To prevent this, cream the ingredients at medium speed. To prevent overmixing, fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients just until there are no more traces of flour.
What makes a cake fluffier butter or oil? ›The texture of cakes made with oil is—in general—superior to the texture of cakes made with butter. Oil cakes tend to bake up loftier with a more even crumb and stay moist and tender far longer than cakes made with butter. So why do most cake recipes start with butter? Flavor.
What are the blobs of butter in cake mix? ›Look at a bowl of curdled cake batter—and it's hard to miss the pesky blobs that emerge from your once-smooth mixture. What causes this batter breakdown? Your eggs or milk are too cold! The blobs in the batter are pieces of butter.
Is gooey butter cake a St Louis thing? ›Legend has it that the St. Louis gooey butter cake originated by accident in the 1930s, when a baker mixed up the proportion of butter in one of his coffee cakes. Rather than throw it out, he sold it by the square, and the sugary, sticky confection was a hit.
What is gooey butter cake from White Castle? ›Product Details. We took this classic sweet yellow cake, rich cream cheese, butter and a dash of vanilla flavor and put it On-a-Stick! Now this perfect-sized delight is only gooey in your mouth, and sticky fingers are a thing of the past.
Does Ooey Gooey butter cake need to be refrigerated? ›The cake can be stored at room temperature for 2- 3 days. Be sure to store it in an airtight container or use aluminum foil or plastic wrap to help keep them from drying out. You can also store it in the refrigerator for 4-5 days and serve it chilled but it won't be as gooey.
How long does Gooey Butter Cake last? ›
To store: Store gooey butter cake covered, at room temperature, for 3-4 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. To freeze: Allow the cake to cool to room temperature and then decide on a freezing method.
What is another name for gooey cake? ›You might know this cake by some of its other names, such as Chess Cake, Chess Squares, Texas Gold Bars, St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake, or Cream Cheese Squares. No matter what it's called, it's outright delicious!
Is butter cake mix the same as yellow cake mix? ›12. Betty Crocker Super Moist Butter Recipe Yellow Cake Mix. What's the difference between yellow cake mix and butter yellow cake mix, you ask? Simply put, butter mixes require butter in the ingredients; yellow cake mixes can use any type of fat, though they typically call for vegetable oil.
What does adding more butter do to cake? ›First, because it adds moisture and richness to the cake and, second, because fat interferes with gluten formation in the flour and with coagulation of the eggs. Solid fats, like butter and shortening, are also the vehicle for creating air pockets in the cake batter.
What is another name for a butter cake? ›There are two main types of cakes: butter cakes (also known as shortened cakes) and foam cakes. The distinction between these two broad categories of cake is in the fat content.
What makes a pound cake gooey in the middle? ›Developing the flour's gluten too much means the cake will rise beautifully in the oven – then sink (a little, or a lot) as soon as you pull it out. And the sinking cake is what makes dense, moist, gluey streaks. Lesson learned: beat butter and sugar and eggs at medium speed.
What is Paula Deen's most famous dish? ›Her original gooey butter cake is not only the most popular of all her tasty versions, but it's also one of the most popular recipes on all of PaulaDeen.com.
What makes a cake more moist buttermilk or sour cream? ›Acidity and fat derived from liquids can have a great impact on the outcome of a cake. My preference is for a cake containing sour cream which offers a beautiful balance of acidity and fat that translates into a flavorful cake with a fine moist crumb. Happy baking!