Are you really from St. Louis if you don’t have a Gooey Butter Cake Recipe? I think not. It’s one of those picnics, potlucks, and dinner party all-around classic St. Louis desserts that our great city is known for. Today, I’m sharing the recipe I originally wrote on the blog in 2016. I thought in honor of Gooey Butter Cake Day on August 12th, I’d give this little recipe a refresh with new pics and copy.

Gooey Butter Cake History

Gooey Butter Cake originated in the 1930s right here in St. Louis. According to the stories, a German baker added the wrong proportions of ingredients in the coffee cake batter he was making. It turned into a gooey, pudding-like consistency to the recipe we know today.

Gooey Butter Cake Recipe

I think every St. Louis home baker has their own version of Gooey Butter Cake. I’ve been making this version for years and it’s always a hit. I think the secret to any Gooey Butter Cake Recipe is room temperature ingredients. You’ll definitely want your cream cheese room temperature to incorporate well. Then, you also need time. You’re going to want to cut right into the warm cake, but it’s so much better completely cooled.

I keep all of these ingredients on hand for a rainy day baking activity, but you’ll just need butter, eggs, vanilla, cream cheese, a box of yellow cake mix, and 1 pound of powdered sugar.

If you have a stand mixer, this is going to be so quick and easy to make. My helper was in the kitchen with me with adding 1 egg, cake mix, and 1 stick of melted butter.

Once incorporated, press into 9×13 pan into one even layer.

Don’t even bother cleaning out the bowl, and go back for the top layer. Combine cream cheese, vanilla, powdered sugar, and eggs together until creamy. Make sure you scrape the bottom of the bowl a few times during this process as cream cheese clumps up and will leave lumps.

Evenly distribute the top layer and bake for 40-45 minutes. Once cooled dust with powdered sugar.

How good does this look? It’s perfect for any occasion. Celebrate Gooey Butter Cake Day on August 12th or just when the mood strikes!

9x13 Tray Approx 12 Bars

Gooey Butter Cake

Name: Gooey Butter Cake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min 40 s
Total time: 2 h 40 s
Yield: 9

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes 40 seconds

Additional Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 2 hours 40 seconds

1 Box Yellow Cake Mix
3 Eggs
2 TSP Vanilla
1 Stick Butter Melted
1 Box Powdered Sugar (16oz)
1 Package of Cream Cheese - Room Temperature

Instructions

Preheat Oven to 350.
Combine Cake Mix, Melted Butter, and 1 Egg in a mixer.
Remove and gently pat into a 9x13 pan for an even layer.
Back into the mixer (no need to wash) Add 2 eggs, vanilla, and cream cheese and beat until cream cheese is smooth. Slowly add powdered sugar until all combined.
Pour over the first layer. Bake for 40-45 minutes.
Let cool completely and dust with powdered sugar before serving.