Gooey Butter Cake

Gooey Butter Cake: An easy dessert recipe that’s an ooey goodness, made with a cake mix, butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and cream cheese.

 

Definitely considered one of our easier cake recipes, (maybe not as easy as this vanilla mug cake recipe) this gooey butter cake recipe is perfect for serving a crowd for the holidays or just on the weekend for an ultra-sweet treat!

What is Gooey Butter Cake?

Gooey butter cake is a flat cake without icing that is made of everyday ingredients, like butter (butter being the key ingredient here!) eggs, sugar, cream cheese, and occasionally, a cake mix to keep it quick and easy!

A St. Louis classic, this delicious dessert has a buttery cake bottom layer and a gooey cream cheese layer on top of that. It’s baked to perfection in about 35-40 minutes and ready to serve!

Jump to:

• What is Gooey Butter Cake?
• Why You’ll Love This Gooey Cake
• Ingredients
• How to Make Gooey Butter Cake
• How to Serve Gooey Butter Cake
• Additional Toppings
• Does Gooey Butter Cake Need to be Refrigerated?
• Can Gooey Butter Cake be Frozen?
• Related Recipes
• Recipe
• Comments

Why You’ll Love This Gooey Cake

It’s a very rich (and buttery) dessert, this ooey gooey butter cake goes amazingly well with a hot cup of coffee.

The best part is, that it’s also a simple cake to make if you’re taking a care package to a friend, as it transports well, and is easy to serve.

Ingredients

What you’ll need to make this cake is:

• 1 yellow cake mix
• 3 eggs
• 2 sticks butter (used at separate times)
• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups powdered sugar + 2 Tablespoons (confectioners’ sugar)

That’s it! Now, let’s walk through the steps to make it because you won’t actually use all of the eggs and butter at once, so pay close attention to how much and when to add them.

(Or, feel free to scroll toward the bottom of the page to see the full printable recipe card for everything in one place!)

How to Make Gooey Butter Cake

First, I must say that you’re going to be pleasantly surprised at how easy this recipe is and how much your friends and family will love it!

This recipe that I make uses a cake mix which makes things even easier in the kitchen and I think we can all get on board for that.

1. First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Next, you’ll start with grabbing a medium or large bowl, or bowl of an electric mixer.
3. Add in your cake mix, 1 stick of melted butter and 1 egg.

4. Mix with a mixer on medium speed, until well-combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl if needed. (We use the paddle attachment on our stand mixer.)

5. Grab a 9×13 baking dish, spray with a little cooking spray, and spread out the cake mix batter into the bottom of the prepared baking dish, making sure to evenly distribute. This is the first layer.

NOTE: You may slightly panic, thinking you don’t have enough to cover the pan. You will! Just keep spreading it out, making sure the entire pan bottom is covered.

6. Set the baking dish aside and either wash out the bowl you used for the cake mix batter or grab a different bowl so you can mix together the gooey butter topping.

For the Cream Cheese Top Layer

7. In the mixing bowl, add in the cream cheese and with clean mixer attachments, mix the cream cheese until light and fluffy.

8. Pour in 1 stick of melted butter…

9. …the 2 eggs and the vanilla extract.

10. Mix until evenly combined.

11. Add in the powdered sugar, and mix until evenly combined.

13. Pour the powdered sugar mixture onto the top of the cake mix mixture and spread out evenly. (I like to use a rubber spatula for this.)

15. Bake the cake in a 350 degree oven for about 35-40 minutes, or until the top of the cake (even just the edges) turns to golden brown.

16. When the cake has been removed from the oven, and while the cake is still hot, sprinkle on about 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar!

How to Serve Gooey Butter Cake

We prefer to cut the gooey butter cake while it’s still warm and top each piece with a small slice of butter so it gently melts on top of that powdered sugar and warm, gooey, goodness. We think this makes the best gooey butter cake in the world!

Additional Toppings

If you’re feeling adventurous, you can also add other toppings to this like:

• whipped cream
• sliced sugared strawberries, blueberries, peaches, or your favorite fruit
• chocolate syrup
• caramel syrup
• ice cream
• ice cream toppings

Does Gooey Butter Cake Need to be Refrigerated?

Gooey butter cake can actually be stored at room temperature for about 2-3 days or refrigerated for up to 4-5 days. Just make sure to cover with plastic wrap or place in an airtight container.

However, I recommend warming it up just a tad and adding on that sliver of butter before serving if you are eating leftovers or have made it in advance.

Can Gooey Butter Cake be Frozen?

Absolutely! Cut it in to squares for easier serving later, and when stored, (in an airtight container) gooey butter cake be frozen for at least up to a month. Just make sure you allow enough time for defrosting when serving.

Related Recipes

Have you ever had an old-fashioned Ugly Duckling Cake? It’s an easy dessert like this one that you’re sure to love!

Plus, if you love making quick desserts with cake mixes, then you’ll also love these cake mix cookies, caramel apple dump cake, and these easy strawberry brownies!

Did you make this? I’d be so grateful if you left a “star” rating below to let me know what you thought! Then, the next time you need a quick and easy recipe, come back to Fantabulosity to browse all of my easy recipes!

I hope you LOVE this St. Louis tradition as much as we do.

Originally published: October 2022
Updated and republished: April 2025

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