The Best Gooey Butter Cake Is Made With Yellow Boxed Cake Mix.

I’d like to touch on the topic of sticky butter cake. It’s a sweet exploration of textures, a fascinating exploration of human ingenuity, and a dessert that can honestly be called “saccharine” without offending anyone. This St. Louis classic even inspired my favorite ice cream flavor from Ample Hills, Ooeyer and Gooeyer . But you don’t have to go to St. Louis or even buy a pint of ice cream to get sticky sugar (but you also have to buy ice cream), you can easily make it at home from a yellow box. cake mix.

What is Gooey Butter Cake?

While I’m sure every St. Louisan has their own favorite family recipe, there are two classic ways to make quality GBC: from scratch and from a packaged cake mix. Naturally, I turned to my St. Louis resource to find out which one to make, and we both agreed: yeast = no fun. The scratch version uses yeast to form the crust, and while this isn’t a problem, another option is to use a boxed cake mix. If so, I’m going to open door number 2.

Regardless of the recipe, the intended outcome of the dessert is the same. The cake should have a soft, dense cake-like crust with a tender, slightly crumbly and (surprise!) gooey filling. The bar is chewy all around, with caramelized edges, and there’s a tender, crispy shell at the very top. As promised, this dessert is wonderfully buttery. Although the butter is only included in the crust layer, it is present throughout and results in excellent browning. As a bonus, your kitchen will smell distinctly like donuts, which is always nice.

How to Make Sticky Butter Pie

This recipe is simple and straightforward; even an imperfect version of this dessert will still turn out sweet, caramelized and delicious. Be sure to cool it completely before diving, as the adhesive layer is the same temperature as the surface of the sun.

1. Make the crust

In a bowl, add yellow cake mix, melted butter, egg and vanilla extract. (If you want an even more authentic flavor, it may seem counterintuitive, but try imitation vanilla extract.) The mixture will be thick. Mix well to remove any hidden pockets of powder. Place batter in a greased 9-by-13-inch baking pan or divide batter between two 8-inch round muffin pans.

2. Add a fill layer

In the same bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, eggs, vanilla extract and powdered sugar until smooth and there are no lumps of sugar. Pour the filling mixture onto the crust. Tap the pan on the counter to pop any large bubbles (which I forgot to do).

3. Bake until set.

Bake in a 350°F oven for 20-25 minutes. It’s ready when the filling is set around the edges and jiggles when gently shaken, but should not be runny in the middle. Cool the cake to room temperature on a wire rack.

I was explicitly told not to overbake the cake. So I didn’t do it. I believe this makes it too chewy around the edges and you miss out on the optimal amount of goo. When the cake has cooled completely, sprinkle it generously with powdered sugar and serve.

Easy Gooey Butter Cake Recipe

Ingredients:

For the crust

• 1 box yellow cake mix (I used Duncan Hines Butter Golden)

• 1 stick butter, melted

• 1 egg

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For filling

• 1 block softened cream cheese (8 ounce block)

• 2 eggs, room temperature

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 1 box powdered sugar (16 oz box) plus more for finishing

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan or two 8-inch muffin pans.

2. Combine crust ingredients in a bowl. Press the dough evenly into the prepared pan.

3. Whisk the filling ingredients in a bowl until smooth. Pour it over the crust. It’s okay (even good) if the filling drips over the crust and sticks to the sides of the pan. Gently tap the pan on the counter to pop the bubbles.

4. Bake the cake for 25-35 minutes depending on the pan you used. To check for doneness, shake the pan slightly. The edges should be set and the center should wiggle. If the center is still moving like a liquid, give it more time.

5. Cool the cake completely on a wire rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.

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