Gooey Butter Cake

A classic St. Louis dessert, a Gooey Butter Cake features a buttery cake base topped with a vanilla cream cheese layer – it is absolutely addicting! Say hello to your new favorite dessert!

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If you like vanilla-flavored desserts, then I’m about to introduce you to the best cake ever! This Gooey Butter Cake is packed with vanilla flavor, and the texture is absolutely fantastic. Now I know what you’re probably thinking. Gooey cake? Uhhhh….like a cake that never finished baking? I had those same thoughts, but then I took a bite. This cake is hands-down one of my new favorite desserts!

What is a Gooey Butter Cake?

A gooey butter cake is a tender cake that is topped with sweetened cream cheese and baked until golden brown. The cake itself is rather firm, and it can easily be sliced into squares for serving. The cake is topped with sweetened cream cheese before it gets baked. This is not a cream cheese frosting like you might think. Instead, the layer of cream cheese tastes similar to cheesecake after baking.

Gooey Butter Cake was invented in St. Louis in the 1930’s. As with so many iconic recipes, the origins of this recipe are a bit murky. Some say that the cake was invented when a new employee at a St. Louis bakery mistakenly used a wrong ingredient. Whatever the actual origin, the Gooey Butter Cake became a staple in the St. Louis area.

Despite the fact that this recipe has been around for almost 100 years, I just recently learned about it. When a friend shared this recipe, I had my suspicions. Apparently I’m not the only one as this cake never really gained popularity outside of the St. Louis area. Customers in other cities thought the cake was “a flat, gooey mess.” Well, I’ll be the first to admit that I was wrong – this cake is absolutely delicious!

In many ways, this Gooey Butter Cake reminds me of a warm pound cake. There is a strong vanilla flavor, and the texture of the cake itself is a bit on the denser side. Once you add in the layer of cream cheese, though, this cake transforms into something magical.

A Gooey Butter Cake is traditionally served as a breakfast cake. I find that it tastes best when served warm, although it is still pretty tasty at room temperature. And a lot of folks on the St. Louis Reddit thread prefer their Gooey Butter Cake cold. You’ll just have to try it each way and decide for yourself! Before serving, the cake is dusted with powdered sugar, and if you have fresh berries around it, those would be great on top, too.

How to Store Leftovers

This recipe produces a 9″x13″ cake. It’s a lot of cake – so it’s great if you’re feeding a crowd! However, if you are feeding a smaller group, you’ll likely have leftovers. Leftover Gooey Butter Cake can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for several days. If you think the leftovers will last longer than that, then store the cake in the refrigerator.

Slices of this cake can also be frozen. Just wrap the slices in plastic wrap and store them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw before serving. (And my personal preference is to nuke the thawed slices in the microwave for a few seconds so the cake returns to its original gooey glory.)

You may already be familiar with a Ooey Gooey Butter Cake. If so, then I hope this recipe encourages you to make it again soon. But if this cake is new to you, then run – don’t walk – to the kitchen to bake this cake. Trust me when I say that it will become a new favorite! Happy baking!

Did you bake this Gooey Butter Cake recipe at home? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog) – I’d love to see your version!

Gooey Butter Cake

A classic St. Louis dessert, a Gooey Butter Cake features a buttery cake base topped with a vanilla cream cheese layer – it is absolutely addicting! Say hello to your new favorite dessert!

5 from 3 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 18 servings

Calories: 432kcal

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Ingredients

For the Cake

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2½ tsp vanilla extract

For the Cream Cheese Layer

• 8 oz. cream cheese room temperature
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 cups confectioners' sugar plus more for topping

Instructions

For the Cake

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Spray a 9”x13” baking pan with nonstick baking spray; set pan aside.
• Using a large bowl, add flour, baking powder and salt; stir until well combined. Set bowl aside.
• Using a countertop mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy (~3-4 minutes on medium speed).
• Add eggs; beat on low until well combined.
• Add half of the dry ingredients (from above); beat on low until well combined.
• Add milk and vanilla extract; beat on low until well combined.
• Add remaining dry ingredients; beat on low until well combined. (Tip: Make sure to scrape sides and bottom of bowl with a rubber spatula.)
• Transfer batter into prepared baking dish, spreading the batter evenly with an offset spatula.

For the Cream Cheese Layer

• Using a countertop mixer or electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth.
• Add eggs and vanilla extract; beat until smooth.
• Slowly add confectioner’s sugar, beating until smooth.
• Pour mixture on top of cake batter, using a spatula to spread it evenly to the edges.
• Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until top of cake is golden brown in color.
• Let cool slightly before slicing and serving.
• {Optional} Before serving, dust top of cake with additional confectioner’s sugar.

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