Y’all, this is the original authentic ooey gooey butter cake recipe. Straight from my Mississippi bred St. Louis resident Aunt Beverly, this recipe has been in my family for decades. I ended up making the original ooey gooey butter cake recipe straight from my Aunt Beverly on Food Network’s The Kitchen, and it was a hit. It’s has got that buttery chewy cake-like crust with a cream cheese topping. Sprinkle on that powdered sugar and get your whole life! This is the true original St. Louis classic done right.
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They’re Lovin’ It! Here’s what They’re Sayin’:
“I don’t often leave comments, but have to for this gooey butter cake. This was the best gooey butter cake I have ever had and incredibly easy to make. Thank you for posting this recipe! ”
—DIANE
How to Make Ooey Gooey Butter Cake
Step 1: Create the Bottom Cake Layer
- Preheat your oven to a toasty 350ºF then prep your pan with your nonstick method of choice.
- Whisk together the cake mix, eggs and melted butter until they are combined and thickened up.
Next pat that cake batter evenly into your prepared pan.
PRO TIP: Line your pan with parchment paper long enough to leave some overlapping on the sides. This will make it a breeze to lift out of the pan once that cake is baked up.
Step 2: Get into the Gooey Topping
- In your stand mixer or in a mixing bowl using a hand mixer, mix eggs, sugar, cream cheese, vanilla, and a pinch of salt at low speed.
- Once everything’s mixed up, turn up the speed to high and let them all get well incorporated.
- Pour this gooey goodness over your base layer, spread evenly, and pop it in the oven.
- Give it 30-35 minutes in the oven, but remember, gooey in the center is what we’re aiming for. Leave that jiggly right where it is.
- Cool for about 15 minutes and serve it up.
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Ooey Gooey Butter Cake Recipe
Want to Save This Recipe, Boo?
I’ll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
Equipment
Ingredients
Bottom Cake Layer:
- 1 box yellow cake mix 15.25-ounce
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
Gooey Top Layer:
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar plus more for sprinkling on top for garnish
- 8 ounces cream cheese completely softened (1 Brick)
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- salt pinch
Instructions
For the Bottom Cake Layer:
- Preheat your oven to 350ºF. Liberally prepare a 9 × 13-inch baking pan with the nonstick method of your choice. I recommend lining with parchment paper to just easily lift once its done baking and set.
- In a large bowl, whisk together all the bottom layer ingredients until combined and thick. Evenly pat the batter into the bottom of the prepared pan.
For the Gooey Top Layer:
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or in a mixing bowl with a hand mixer, beat the eggs, sugar, cream cheese, vanilla extract, and salt over low speed. Once the sugar is fully incorporated, turn your mixer speed to high. Continue beating until all ingredients are well blended.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan, on top of the bottom layer, and spread it evenly across the pan using a spatula. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. The center should still be jiggly and wobbly with the edges being golden and set.
- Let cool for at least 20 minutes to really let that gooey topping set up. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve in the pan at room temperature.
Video
Notes
How to Store
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- Room Temperature: Make sure your ooey gooey butter cake recipe it is cooled completely before sealing the it in an air-tight container. This keeps it moist and fresh for up to 2 days at room temp.
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- Fridge: Gooey butter cake will last for up to 4-5 days. Make sure it is completely well covered. You can pop in the microwave for a few seconds to warm it up and get that gooey texture back.
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- Freezer: Freeze individual slices for up to 2 months. Just thaw at room temp when ready to serve it up.
Nutrition
Recipe Tips
- Room Temp Ingredients: For this recipe to work, the ingredients must blend together smoothly. Softened cream cheese and room temp eggs are legit necessary to avoid lumps.
- Don’t Overmix: Make sure you just mix the cake batter until it comes together. If you keep on mixing, the gluten will overdevelop and make the bottom layer tough. And this goes for the top gooey layer too. Make sure you don’t overmix and add too much air.
- Don’t Overbake: We gotta keep that topping super gooey so don’t overbake it. It’s gotta stay moist so keep that jiggle.
- Let it Chill: Don’t serve this up until you let it cool. This will let the gooey topping set up properly.
Ingredient Notes
- Cake Mix: A prepackaged yellow butter cake mix is always the move here but if you can’t find it, you can make your own cake batter to use instead. This yellow cake is a great option.
- Butter: I use unsalted but salted is fine. Just omit the salt here. You can also substitute with a neutral oil here. It will still be moist but won’t have as much flavor.
- Cream Cheese: I would go by the book here and keep the cream cheese but mascarpone is a cool option if cream cheese isn’t available anywhere on the planet. Just sayin.
- Powdered Sugar: If granulated is all you have, just blitz it in a blender until it gets powdery.
- Vanilla: Grab any extract you like to replace it.
Recipe Help
Not necessarily boos. While it will definitely make the process easier, you can totally freestyle this recipe with a strong hand and a good whisk.
Ahh boos, you more than likely overbaked it. The best way to check if it’s done is if the edges are set but the center is still jiggly. Leave a nice wobble in there y’all.
Most definitely. We don’t want this baby to stick at all. Make sure you lightly grease the pan or line it with parchment so you can remove easily.
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There is no cheese in “real”St Louis gooey butter cake!! This is simply wrong
Cream cheese is a staple ingredient in gooey cake. This recipe came from a real St. Louis resident, my aunt.
Thanks for the recipe. Very good
You’re welcome, doll!
Love this recipe! These bars satisfied everyone from kids to adults. They are rich and delicious!!
Very informative
What could I use instead of a stand mixer? I do not have one.
Do you have a hand mixer?
My grandma made this all the time when I was little. Sometimes she’d even up things by using a chocolate cake mix – soooo good, but really rich.
Made it with my 9 year old for mother’s day and it’s a hit!
I don’t often leave comments, but have to for this gooey butter cake. This was the best gooey butter cake I have ever had and incredibly easy to make. Thank you for posting this recipe!
I used Betty Crocker Pound Cake mix, WOW it made a huge difference in the taste and texture. Made a great cake supreme!!! YUM!
I just now put it in the oven and tasted both layers prior to baking and they were so good!! Thank You so much for sharing your recipe.