Inspired by her iconic recipe, this is a slightly different take on Gooey Butter Cake, (no boxed cake mix) but it’s still easy for any level baker to make. Its tender crumb, super-soft filling, and rich butter flavor will satisfy every sweet tooth. Get ready for a cake so gooey it looks like a bar.
It’s Hard to Beat This Gooey Cake
This is the last of three butter cakes I’ve played around with this summer! My Kentucky Butter Cake is a moist vanilla bundt cake doused in a sweet butter sauce while still warm—which means it truly soaks up all that rich yumminess—and I’ve also made the St. Louis Classic recipe that gave us butter cake in the first place! This is the last of the three, and I have to say all are completely different!
So, what makes Paula Deen’s recipe different from the others? Paula Deen’s butter cake is made with a box of yellow cake mix, but I didn’t want to go that route so I tweeked the recipe to make it even better. Unlike a traditional butter cake that uses butter and light corn syrup for the gooey filling, her recipe has a cream cheese filling made with butter, vanilla, and powdered sugar.
This recipe is unique because of the unexpected texture and flavor of the gooey cream cheese layer. What’s more fun than riffing on a classic? That’s what I love about cooking and baking—the opportunity to make things your own.
The cake is so lush and rich that you need a glass of milk to cut the sweetness. It’s really more like a gooey buttery bar than a slice of cake and more like a St. Louis butter cake then a Kentucky butter cake.
After playing around with all three types, My conclusion is that they are nothing alike. Each is equally delicious in it’s own right. If you want more of a pound cake then go with the Kentucky version and if you want sweet and rich, stick with a Paula Deen butter cake recipe. The St. Louis version is somewhere in between and a little more cakey.
Why You’ll Love This Easy Cake Recipe
- Gooey Layers – A dense cake base, gooey filling, and tender crumb make every bite scrumptious.
- Fresh Take On a Classic – Paula Deen’s recipe adds an unexpected twist to a classic.
- Pure Southern Comfort – Rich and buttery, this dessert may have originated in St. Louis, but we sure love it in the South!
Ingredients For Ooey Gooey Butter Cake
All Pantry items– butter, flour, baking powder, sugar, eggs, vanilla, powdered sugar and cream cheese.
Just a Couple of Steps
Step One: Whisk, whisk, whisk
In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, melted butter, an egg, and vanilla until smooth.
Step Two: Assemble Bottom Layer
Add flour, baking powder, and salt to the mixture and mix until combined. The mixture will be very thick! Place the cake batter on the bottom of the baking dish, pressing it down to make an even layer.
Step Three: Make the Filling
Using the same bowl, (because who needs more dishes to wash!) beat the cream cheese with a hand mixer until light and smooth. Add more melted butter, eggs, and vanilla and beat until completely smooth without any lumps. Add powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
Pour the filling over the cake mixture, smoothing it out with an offset spatula.
Step Four: Bake Cake
Bake for 40-45 minutes until golden brown and set around the edges but still slightly jiggly in the middle. Cool completely before cutting—this will help it firm up enough to cut smoothly. Once cooled, dust the top layer with powdered sugar.
A Few Recipe Notes
- Use good quality butter—especially for a butter cake. Since it’s the main ingredient, you want the flavor and texture to be the best!
- Use room temperature cream cheese, it make it easier to cream together. If you forgot to set it out, check out this trick for quickly soften cream cheese.
- This cake is pretty rich, so you can cut it in much smaller pieces than I did for the photographs!
How To Store Butter Cake
On The Counter: Keep your gooey butter cake gooey by storing it in an airtight container at room temperature. Storing it in the fridge will dry out the filling! I recommend freezing it if you don’t eat it all within two days.
Don’t Forget!
Like and review this post – it helps our website grow so we can give you more delicious Southern recipes!
Ingredients
Cake Layer
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 8 tablespoons butter melted
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 ¼ cup flour
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
Filling
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 8 tablespoons butter melted
- 2 eggs
- 3 teaspoons vanilla
- 3 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º and lightly spray a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, eight tablespoons of melted butter, one egg, and vanilla until smooth.
- Add flour, baking powder, and salt to the mixture and mix until combined. The mixture will be very thick! Place the cake batter on the bottom of the baking dish, pressing it down to make an even layer.
- Using the same bowl, beat the cream cheese with a hand mixer until light and smooth. Add eight tablespoons of melted butter, eggs, and vanilla and beat until completely smooth without any lumps. Add powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Pour the filling over the cake mixture, smoothing it out with an offset spatula.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes until golden brown and set around the edges but still slightly jiggly in the middle. Cool completely before cutting—this will help it firm up enough to cut smoothly. Once cooled, dust the top layer with powdered sugar.
Notes
- This is rich enough that you can cut it into much smaller pieces.
- Make sure the very center is a little jiggly when removed from the oven.
- Let the cake cool completely before cutting.
