Ooey Gooey Butter Cake is almost an American classic! Since the 50’s moms and grandmas have been making Ooey-Gooey Cakes for all to enjoy. You may be surprised by the ingredients! Make sure to try Chocolate Ooey Gooey Cake too!
Butter Cake
Before making this I studied a lot of Ooey-Gooey Cake recipes. One comment was very, very common: “It’s very sweet”. But I can handle sweet, I mean, I have made Chocolate Ooey Gooey Cake, Strawberry Ooey Gooey Cake, even Red Velvet Ooey Gooey Cake! I like sweet, but just be prepared. It is VERY sweet!
What is Ooey Gooey Butter Cake?
This recipe is based on the original ooey gooey cake made famous in St. Louis. I have made my version semi-homemade in that I use a cake mix for the bottom layer, but you can certainly make one from scratch if you prefer! There are two distinct layers in an ooey gooey cake. This one is yellow cake on the bottom and a cream cheese butter flavored layer on top. The bottom layer should be a bit firm, but the top layer is melt-in-your-mouth velvety perfection.
I like to serve this ooey gooey butter cake with a light topping of powdered sugar at the end. Some people prefer whipped cream too. Why not add something a little sweeter to the top of this already sweet cake?
Ooey Gooey Bars
Although this is called ooey gooey butter cake, it is technically a bar. Most recipes are made in a 9×13 pan and then cut into a bar shape, so when you make an ooey gooey butter cake you are technically making a bar! I chose to make mine in a 9×3 round cake pan just because I love round cakes, but if you choose to make yours in a 9×13 pan keep an eye on cooking times. The rest of the recipe is the same!
How to Make Ooey Gooey Butter Cake
Make sure you prepare your pan correctly. I use GOOP {Homemade Baker’s Spray} and think it’s far superior to any product you can buy at the store. If you don’t want to make GOOP, grease your pan then line with parchment paper.
Use room temperature ingredients. Set your butter and cream cheese out a couple hours before you plan on making this amazing cake. You will not regret it!
Don’t undermix ingredients. Whip the cream cheese until it is light and fluffy, at least 3 minutes.
Did you know the “magic” version of this recipe? You simply mix all the ingredients in one bowl and then bake. There is no layer separation, but the flavor and texture are still amazing!
Sweet Ooey Gooey Butter Cake
And this is about how much I could eat in one sitting. I mean, don’t get me wrong, it tastes great! Like, really, really great. Fantastic! AMAZING! It is just one of those dishes best served with a cup of black coffee or tea and your dentist’s business card.
I hope you like this ooey gooey butter cake as much as we do!
Ooey Gooey Butter Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 package yellow cake mix
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (113g) butter, melted
Filling
- 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup (113g) butter, melted
- 4 cups confectioners sugar
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees. (I set my convection oven to 325°F)
- In a bowl, combine cake mix, 2 eggs, 1 tsp vanilla and the melted butter. Mash together with a fork until all ingredients are fully incorporated.
- Spray a 9-inch by 3-inch round cake pan or a 9-inch by 13-inch pan with baking spray or use a piece of parchment in the bottom of the pan.
- Press cake mixture into bottom of prepared pan and get it as flat as possible.
- Place cream cheese, remaining eggs, vanilla and melted butter in a stand mixer and beat on medium speed until creamy.
- Add in confectioners sugar 1 cup at a time (and on low speed) until all sugar has been added.
- Pour cream cheese mixture over cake mixture.
- Bake for 35-45 minutes. I moved mine from the oven when the edges were brown, but the center was still a bit jiggly. You do not want to over cook.
- Allow to cool before serving.
Did you make this recipe?
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I make a very similar thing in a 9×13 pan but always use chocolate cake mix. The juxtaposed colors look fantastic and they taste is richer, I think.
I’ve make Paula Deen’s Ooey Gooey Pumpkin Butter Cake every Thanksgiving. I’ll have to give this a try!!
Was wondering if you could use a sugar free cake mix & sweetener? I am newly a diabetic.
Around thanksgiving and Christmas my family loves this recipe, with a twist, I think the sugar in the filling is too much I use about half, I add about a cup to 2cups of sweet potatoes cooked and mashed in the filling portion of the recipe “yes, sweet potatoes ” you can even try pumpkin, it’s awesome !!
Love that! Great idea!
My family loves this, but I make it in a 9 X 13 pan and cut into bars. Sometimes I throw on some chocolate chips the last few min. of cooking.
I’ve made this exact recipe in a 9×13 pan and it’s called Chess Squares. Cut into small brownie size and it’s a perfect size — not too sweet. It also freezes well in air tight container.
Gooey Butter Cake originated in St. Louis in the 1930’s. Here is a ‘from scratch’ recipe for ya! PS.. I’ve only ever had it as bars, never in pie slice form, that’s just too much! LOL.. the link goes to the Junior League of St. Louis..that says, “”Gooey Butter Cake originated in St. Louis in the 1930s. According to legend, a thrifty German baker added the wrong proportions of ingredients into his cake batter. It turned into a gooey, delicious mess that is now a St. Louis tradition. This recipe is courtesy of Fred and Audrey Heimburger of Heimburger Bakery.”
https://www.jlsl.org/?nd=butter_cake
here is an old from scratch recipe that uses yeast in the crust.. http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1014032-st-louis-gooey-butter-cake
YES!!! I’m from St. Louis and grew up eating this at my grandparents house! I had to have my grandmother ship one to me in Florida, when I was pregnant! Soooooo Good!
They make sugar free cake mixes now you can sub with. The sugar free cake is good. It’s just not sickening sweet. You can sub sugar out for a sugar substitute.
We have made this using 2 boxes of pound cake mix. We make it in a 9×13 glass pan. It doesn’t last long because everyone loves it!
Jayne, you add the same ingredients listed above to the 2 boxes of pound cake mix? Nothing else is needed? Thanks! 🙂
So u use the pound cake instead of the cake mix?
The cake looks delicious but the fork in the picture caught my eye. Do you know the name of the silver pattern?
I am sorry, I do not. I buy my silverware at thrift shops and garage sales.
This looks alot like Wedgewood by International.
The fork is a Grosvenor silverplate, 1921, Monograms, by Oneida. It is really beautiful when engraved in the rectangle.