Gooey Butter Cake - With a Cake Mix (2024)

If you have never had gooey butter cake before, here is how I would describe it. It’s a dense cake base, almost like a shortbread, but softer. Then, it has a lightly baked frosting on top. It truly is gooey in texture—in fact, sometimes this is called ooey gooey butter cake.

It’s a rich dessert that is usually cut into square bars, and I believe it’s originally from St. Louis, Missouri (about three hours from where I live).

I will admit, it’s not the most beautiful cake. But it’s SO delicious. It kind of reminds me of Milk Bar Pie, but not a pie texture … more like cake bars.

And if you love gooey butter cake, then I’d recommend trying gooey butter cake cookies or this pineapple upside down gooey butter cake.

Gooey Butter Cake - With a Cake Mix (1)

There are a number of gooey butter cake recipes available on the internet and cookbooks, but I consider this the super easy version, as we will use a cake mix for the base and the entire recipe only has eight ingredients.

Gooey Butter Cake - With a Cake Mix (2)

Why is it called gooey butter cake?

The texture of the top layer is very gooey, like thick pudding. I would compare it to a lightly baked frosting. It will have a kind of flaky appearance, but the texture itself will ooze a little when cut.

This is why it’s really important to allow this cake to refrigerate for at least two hours (after it cools) or overnight, if possible. It’s probably a little more gooey (runny) than the texture of lemon bars.

Gooey Butter Cake - With a Cake Mix (3)

What is gooey butter cake made of?

There are two layers: the base cake and the top which is like a baked frosting. The base cake is made of yellow cake mix, one egg, melted butter, and a little nutmeg (optional).

The top layer is made of cream cheese, eggs, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar.

Gooey Butter Cake - With a Cake Mix (4)

How do I know when my gooey butter cake is done?

This cake will (and should) seem underbaked. That’s OK! That’s exactly what puts the “gooey” in gooey butter cake.

The edges of the cake should puff slightly and begin to appear golden brown, while the center will appear flaky but still have a lot of jiggle to it.

The cake needs to cool and refrigerate for at least two hours before cutting. Otherwise, it may be too gooey and runny to easily serve.

Gooey Butter Cake - With a Cake Mix (5)

If you need to transport this dessert, I would recommend waiting to cut the cake into bars until you are at your destination. Happy baking! -Emma

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Gooey Butter Cake - With a Cake Mix (6)

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Gooey Butter Cake - With a Cake Mix (7)Get the Recipe

easy gooey butter cake bars made with a yellow cake mix base

Yield 12 servings

Prep 10 minutes mins

Refrigerate Time 2 hours hrs

Cook 45 minutes mins

Total 2 hours hrs 55 minutes mins

Ingredients

  • 1 cake mix (yellow)
  • 1 egg
  • ½ cup butter (melted)
  • teaspoon nutmeg (optional)

Top Layer:

  • 8 ounces cream cheese (softened)
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 16 ounces sugar (powdered)

Instructions

Notes

The 7×9 baking pan I used is Staub brand, and although not necessarily a standard size (9×13 being more common), it is a common pan. However, you could use a 9×13 pan instead and reduce the baking time to 35-38 minutes.

© Author Emma Chapman

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keywords butter cake, cake, cake bars

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Gooey Butter Cake – With a Cake Mix

Amount per Serving

Calories

454

% Daily Value*

Fat

17

g

26

%

Saturated Fat

10

g

63

%

Trans Fat

0.4

g

Polyunsaturated Fat

Monounsaturated Fat

4

g

Cholesterol

80

mg

27

%

Sodium

450

mg

20

%

Potassium

64

mg

2

%

Carbohydrates

74

g

25

%

Fiber

1

g

4

%

Sugar

57

g

63

%

Protein

4

g

8

%

Vitamin A

550

IU

11

%

Vitamin C

0.001

mg

%

Calcium

118

mg

12

%

Iron

1

mg

6

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.

Gooey Butter Cake - With a Cake Mix (2024)

FAQs

What does adding butter to cake mix do? ›

More Fat, More Flavor

Most box cake recipes call for vegetable or canola oil. The only trouble is, these oils have almost no flavor. Replace the oil with an equal amount of melted butter (and a pinch of salt if using unsalted butter), to boost richness. For an extra decadent cake, add two tablespoons of mayonnaise.

Is Gooey Butter Cake a St. Louis thing? ›

Gooey butter cake is a type of cake traditionally made in St. Louis, Missouri.

What happens if you add too much butter to cake mix? ›

As a commonly used fat, butter is largely responsible for the amount of moisture in your cake, cookies, cupcakes, and so on. So, the more butter you add, the closer you'll get to that ultra-soft texture of your sheet cake dreams. Less butter results in a drier, chewier cake.

Can I use butter instead of oil in box cake mix? ›

Most cake mixes call for oil, but butter will bring in amazing flavor. To substitute butter for oil in baking just melt the butter, measure it, let it cool, and add it as you would the oil. Compared to oil, butter will create a cake with a firmer, cakeier texture.

What does adding an extra egg to cake mix do? ›

Because eggs help build the cake's structure (don't use them and you're looking at a gooey mess), adding an extra egg yolk makes the cake batter denser. Translation: you'll have a moister confection. Conversely, she suggests an extra egg white for a fluffier cake.

Why is gooey butter cake gooey? ›

Another account says it was an ingredients mix-up for yellow cake with too much sugar, butter, shortening, or all three. As it was the Great Depression, bakers weren't in line to waste anything and so they tried to flog it anyway. Unsurprisingly, it sold like hotcakes–gooey ones at that.

Does Paula Deen's gooey butter cake need to be refrigerated? ›

The Deen Team

Yes, anything with cream cheese in it should be refrigerated, even if the cream cheese has been baked!

Is it OK to eat gooey cake? ›

First, if your oven presents you with an undercooked cake, do not eat it. Per Healthdigest, consuming undercooked eggs is a one-way ticket to foodborne illness. That being said, you don't need to throw out the cake and start over, either.

What happens if you put too much egg in butter cake? ›

You will have a rubbery or spongy cake . If accidentally add to many eggs try to balance it out with a little bit of flour.

What does overmixed cake batter look like? ›

An overmixed egg foam will look dull or broken, like cottage cheese. With the addition of flour, an undermixed batter will have uneven streaks or visible pockets of flour. When properly combined, the batter will be satiny, a little glossy, and able to make luscious peaks or ribbons.

Why did my cake turn out gooey? ›

A cake that's wet in the middle, in most cases, has not baked long enough. Put it back in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes.

What is the difference between pound cake and butter cake? ›

Butter cakes (also referred to as creamed cakes) have a lighter texture and greater volume than pound cakes. Pound cakes (named because they originally contained one pound each of butter, sugar, eggs and flour) tend to be denser.

Can you leave butter cake out overnight? ›

If your cake is frosted with buttercream, it will last covered at room temperature for up to four days. However, it is best to refrigerate cakes with other frostings such as cream cheese or ganache. A fully covered unfrosted cake will last for up to 2 days at room temperature.

Is cake more moist with butter or oil? ›

Vegetable oil contributes moistness far more reliably, a result of the fact that oil remains liquid at room temperature while butter solidifies. Liquid contributes to the sensation of moistness, and therefore cakes made with oil often present as moister than their butter-based counterparts.

Does butter keep a cake moist? ›

Butter is 18% water, so when the batter is baked, some of its liquid evaporates. Replacing the water from the butter with oil means there's more fat left in the cakes to ensure tenderness. It also coats the flour uniformly, which keeps the layers from being tough even if the batter is overbeaten.

Can I use half butter and half oil in cake? ›

Can I Use Both Butter and Oil in Cake? Oh yes, you sure can. This recipe has a combination of butter and oil to give off that nice buttery taste while keeping it soft and moist at the same time. Cake using pure butter tends to be more dense and dry compared to adding oil into the batter.

What is the effect of butter in cake? ›

The job of butter in baking (besides being delicious) is to give richness, tenderness and structure to cookies, cakes, pies and pastries. We alter the way butter works in a recipe by changing its temperature and choosing when to combine it with the other ingredients.

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