Food and Recipes Desserts Cakes Gooey Butter Cake Is Famous For A Reason 5.0 (5) 4 Reviews With a name like Gooey Butter Cake, you know you're destined for something indulgent and delicious. Made with a simple list of ingredients (hello, boxed cake mix!), this decadent treat comes together super easily—all in a trusty 9x13" baking dish. Gooey butter cake is comprised of two distinctly delicious layers—one chewy base layer made from a boxed yellow cake mix and one gooey, velvety, oh-so luscious cream cheese layer. When you combine the two together into one bite, it's the perfect pairing. And the best part of all? Gooey butter cake is incredibly easy to whip up. The hardest part is waiting for the cake to cool before digging in—but trust us, it's worth the wait! By Molly Bolton Molly Bolton Molly Bolton is a self-taught home baker, recipe developer, and food photographer located in Birmingham, Alabama. She has 3+ years of experience creating and capturing original, trustworthy recipes designed for the home baker. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Published on July 7, 2024 Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Molly Bolton Active Time: 25 mins Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins Yield: 2 dozen Ingredients Cake Layer: 1 (15.25 oz.) package yellow cake mix 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted 1 large egg, at room temperature 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1/4 tsp. almond extract, optional Cream Cheese Layer: 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, at room temperature 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted 2 large eggs, at room temperature 1 tsp. vanilla extract 4 cups powdered sugar, plus more for dusting Directions Prepare oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the lower third. Coat a 13- x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Gather all ingredients. Molly Bolton Prepare the cake layer: Add cake mix, butter, egg, vanilla, and almond extract to a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until just combined. The batter should be thick, like cookie dough. Molly Bolton Add cake batter to baking dish: Press the batter into an even layer in the prepared dish. Molly Bolton Prepare the cream cheese layer: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until very creamy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add the eggs, one at a time. Beat in melted butter and vanilla until combined and smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing on low speed, until combined. If you notice a few lumps, increase the mixer to medium speed and beat until smooth, about 1 minute more. Molly Bolton Add cream cheese mixture to baking dish: Pour the cream cheese mixture over the cake batter and smooth into an even layer. Molly Bolton Bake and cool: Bake in the lower third of the oven until golden and just set, 40 to 45 minutes. Molly Bolton Allow the cool completely before cutting into squares Dust with powdered sugar, if desired. Molly Bolton Wait to cool completely before cutting into bars; can place uncovered in the fridge to speed up the cooling process. These are also delicious chilled, so popping them in the fridge isn't a bad idea. Rate It Print