We were introduced to this incredible dessert while one of the sisters was living in Missouri. The story is that it was created when a baker in St. Louis had a “happy accident”, switching up the flour for powdered sugar, and the rest is history.
Using only a few ingredients, including a yellow cake mix, you can recreate this cult classic at home. It’s always super popular at potlucks, family get-togethers, or just for an easy weekend dessert. We guarantee there won’t be any leftovers!
Did you know this dessert also goes by a few other names?
Neiman Marcus Cake, Chess Squares, or Gooey Butter Bars just to name a few. If you’ve tried it, what did you call it growing up?
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions:
You only need 5 basic ingredients to make this recipe, but you can tweak and adjust it to make it your own.
- Cake Mix: we use a 15.25 ounce yellow cake mix (a note on different sizing can be found in the FAQs). If you want to change up the flavor from the classic yellow cake, we’ve successfully made this with chocolate, pumpkin, funfetti, and strawberry mixes.
- Butter: we use melted, unsalted butter because you’re using a pre-made cake mix, but you can use what you prefer or have on hand.
- Eggs: 3 large eggs are needed for this recipe. One goes into the soft crust, the other two are for the cream cheese layer.
- Cream Cheese: for the best results, use a room temperature cream cheese. This will help create a smoother consistency.
- Powdered Sugar: we use 4 cups, so these are a very sweet dessert. You can cut the sugar down to 2 ½ – 3 cups successfully if you want to cut out some of the sweetness.
- Toppings: We’ve had these gooey butter bars topped with more powdered sugar, almonds, berries, whipped cream or ice cream.
- Additions: You can really make these your own by adding flavored extract to the cake mix (lemon or almond would be delicious).
Equipment Needed
How to Make This Simple Gooey Butter Cake Dessert
- Make the crust. In a mixing bowl, mix together cake mix (don’t prepare the cake, just use the dry mix!), melted butter, and 1 egg. It will make a soft, thick dough. Press this into the bottom of a greased 9×13” pan, spreading it as evenly as possible with your hands.
- Make the cream cheese layer. In another bowl, mix together powdered sugar, cream cheese, and remaining eggs until smooth. To make it extra smooth, make sure your cream cheese is softened. Pour it on top of the crust layer and spread it out evenly.
- Bake. Bake at 350℉ for 35 minutes, until the edges are just golden and the center is almost set (just a slight jiggle).
- Serve. Let the dessert cool to set up completely, then cut into squares and serve. It’s great topped with extra powdered sugar, ice cream or even a lemon glaze.
Frequently Asked Questions and Troubleshooting Tips
You’ll know your cake is ready to pull from the oven when the edges turn a light, golden brown. The center should not be completely set when you give the pan a shake, but should still have a slight jiggle in the middle. It will fully set as it cools. It’s been overcooked if the entire top is browned.
As cake mix sizes are always changing (thanks, shrinkflation!), you may need to adjust how much cake mix you use. We use a 15.25 oz cake mix in this recipe. If you can only find a 13 oz size, you can buy a second box and measure out the weight (or it’s about a ½ cup of cake mix). You can also make your own “upsize” mix or “extender” using something like this.
Want to know our secret to getting a clean cut? Use a plastic knife! This helps it cut seamlessly through the cake without sticking to the knife. If you don’t have a plastic knife, you can use a regular knife. However, we would recommend running it under warm water before cutting and wiping off the knife in between each cut.
More Easy Cake Mix Dessert Recipes
Gooey Butter Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 package yellow cake mix, (15.25 ounce)
- ½ cup butter, melted
- 3 eggs, divided
- 1 cream cheese, softened, 8 ounce package
- 4 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Spray a 9×13” baking dish with cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, mix together dry cake mix, melted butter, and 1 egg into a soft dough. Press it into the bottom of the prepared pan.
- In another bowl, mix together the powdered sugar, cream cheese, and remaining 2 eggs until smooth. Pour on top of crust and bake for 35 minutes, until the top is golden brown.
Notes
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?We’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave a review or a question in the comment section below the post.
