Meet the ultimate potluck dessert, the St. Louis ooey gooey butter cake. With a rich, buttery, ultra-moist cake layer on the bottom and a smooth, custard-like cream cheese topping, it’s super easy to make and 100% irresistible. Just you wait!
Gooey butter cake earns its name from its irresistibly rich, buttery texture that’s impossible to resist. Originating in St. Louis, it starts with a buttery vanilla cake base. While many versions use cake mix, I decided to make mine from scratch. I think it’s more satisfying that way! The cake is topped with a creamy, custard-like cream cheese layer that really does make it “ooey gooey” in the middle. Meanwhile, the top gets a little golden and crispy, and the cake base is light and moist. There’s truly nothing like it.
Just like my pineapple upside-down cake, buckeyes, and sugar cream pie, this easy dessert recipe is pure comfort on a plate. The melt-in-your-mouth texture and simple preparation led me to create more flavors of this dessert, including gingerbread, lemon, and even carrot cake gooey bars. But this original recipe is still a longstanding favorite.
What Makes Ooey Gooey Butter Cake So Good?
- Addictive texture. Somewhere between an ultra-moist coffee cake and a cookie bar, this ooey-gooey cake lives up to its name. The cake itself is SO moist and buttery, and the cream cheese layer on top is silky smooth, kind of like a custard. The combination is out of this world.
- Made for sharing. Since it’s baked in a 9×13-inch pan, it’s easy to transport. In true Midwestern style, a gooey butter cake is perfect for potlucks, parties, and holidays.
- From scratch. This classic dessert is often made with cake mix, but mine is totally from scratch, which I think makes it all the more special. Don’t worry, though; it’s great with cake mix, too. Check out the section below titled “Make It With Cake Mix.”
Recipe Ingredients
Ready to get bakin’? Here’s what you’ll need to make this ooey gooey butter cake recipe. Be sure to scroll to the recipe card below for precise measurements.
- All-purpose flour – Be sure to measure it properly so that your cake layer isn’t too dry. I always recommend a food scale, but the spoon and level method will also do.
- Baking powder – To help the cake rise.
- Salt – Brings out the flavors already present in the dessert. Without it, it’d be bland.
- Unsalted butter – Salted butter will work in a pinch. Just leave out the salt.
- Sugar – I went with granulated sugar. Light brown sugar (or some combination of granulated sugar and light brown sugar) would also do the trick. You’d end up with a slightly richer, more molasses-y flavor.
- Eggs – Large eggs are best. I like letting mine come to room temperature. They mix into the batter more easily that way.
- Cream cheese – I recommend full-fat, brick-style cream cheese. Lower-fat and the kind that comes in a tub are softer and won’t turn out the same.
How to Make Ooey Gooey Butter Cake
Here’s a basic overview of how to make a classic gooey butter cake from scratch. Have a look at the recipe card below for more detailed instructions.
To start, you’ll want to preheat your oven to 350°F, spray a 9×13-inch cake pan with non-stick, and line it with parchment paper that hangs over the sides.
Whisk together the butter and sugar. Add in the eggs and vanilla.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
Spread the batter into the bottom of the pan. Set aside.
Beat together the cream cheese and half of the powdered sugar. Once smooth, mix in the remaining powdered sugar, followed by the eggs (one at a time), vanilla, and butter.
Pour the cream cheese topping over the cake batter and spread evenly.
Bake for 30-40 minutes, then cool completely. Dust cake with powdered sugar and serve!
Tips for the Best Homemade Butter Cake
- Parchment paper hack. When lining the pan with parchment paper, use enough so that it hangs over the edges a bit. You can use that overhang to lift the cake out of the pan once it’s cool.
- Don’t over-mix. When mixing the dry ingredients into the cake batter, mix just until everything is incorporated. Mixing past this point causes the gluten in the flour to overdevelop, making the cake tough and overly dense.
- Use room temperature cream cheese. Let the cream cheese come to room temperature before using it. If it’s too cold, you’ll end up with a lumpy topping.
- Don’t over-bake. This cake is supposed to be nice and gooey, and over-baking will dry it out. Bake just until the top has a light crust and is ever so slightly golden. I like to check on mine a few minutes before the baking time is up and then every 3-5 minutes after that until it’s done.
FAQ
The story goes that in the 1930’s, a German baker in St. Louis, Missouri, added too much butter to his coffee cake. The result was a sweet, sticky cake that became a local favorite.
The best temperature for serving gooey butter cake is room temperature or slightly warmed up, IMO. Many folks love it cold from the fridge, too. Don’t serve it hot from the oven, though, or it may crumble apart.
Due to the ooey-gooey nature of the cake, the traditional “toothpick test” does not work here. Gooey butter cake is done when the edges start to brown, and a glossy crust forms on top of the custard. If you wait until a toothpick comes out clean, the cake will be overbaked.
Make It With Cake Mix
If you want to simplify things a bit and use cake mix for the bottom layer of this dessert, go for it! Just note that you’ll need to adjust the recipe based on the amount of cake mix in the box (different brands use different volumes), like so:
- For a 13.25-ounce box: Combine the cake mix with 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and ½ cup melted butter.
- For a 15.25-ounce box: Combine the cake mix with 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and ½ cup melted butter.
The topping is perfect as is, regardless of the cake mix you use. So, don’t do a thing to change it.
How to Store
- Refrigerator. Seal any leftovers in an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezer. You can store leftover ooey gooey butter cake in a freezer-safe airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow the cake to thaw in the fridge before serving.
More Easy Cake Recipes
Ooey Gooey Butter Cake
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Ingredients
Cake Layer
- 2 1/4 cups (293g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (168g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 1/2 cups (310g) sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Topping
- 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 4 cups (460g) powdered sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Prepare a 9×13 inch cake pan with non-stick baking spray and parchment paper that hangs over the sides, which you’ll use to lift the bars out of the ban after baking. Set aside.
- To make the cake layer, add the flour, baking powder and salt to a medium sized bowl and whisk together to combine. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix the melted butter and sugar until well combined. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix until well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix until well combined, but don’t over mix. Batter will be thick.
- Add the batter to the bottom of the cake pan and spread evenly. Set aside.
- To make the topping, beat the cream cheese and half of the powdered sugar until well combined and smooth. Add the remaining powdered sugar and mix until well combined.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well and scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl between each addition.
- Add the vanilla extract and melted butter and mix until well combined.
- Pour the cream cheese mixture on top of the bake batter and spread into an even layer.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the top has a light crust and is lightly golden.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool at room temperature.You can serve the cake at room temperature, or refrigerate it until firm, then slice and serve.
- Store left overs in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. Can be served chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
- For a 13.25-ounce box: Combine the cake mix with 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and ½ cup melted butter.
- For a 15.25-ounce box: Combine the cake mix with 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and ½ cup melted butter.
Nutrition
The nutrition facts provided are calculated using a third-party tool and are estimates only. Actual nutritional content may vary based on the ingredients and brands you use, as well as portion sizes. For accurate results, please consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.
I have made several of your desserts in the past few years. So when I saw this one, I thought let’s give it a try. It is awesome. Never got to the dusting the top with powdered sugar. Made it when my daughter was visiting and we spent five days just eating pieces of it from the fridge. Now now I’m making it to take to the cottage for a gang of ladies I hang with. Perfect as is, I found the 30 minutes of baking was great. This is definitely a keeper. Thank you for all your awesome recipes.
Aww, fun! I’m so glad you loved it!
This is amazing!! I made for work, and it was devoured before lunch.
Awesome! So glad to hear that!
I’ve always loved Gooey Butter. I live on the West Coast, and it isn’t available here, so I appreciate a good recipe.
Just wish you’d had a ‘print’ button so I could print it out (as I’ve done in the past).
There’s a print button in the recipe card. 🙂
I can completely appreciate the satisfaction in making the gooey cake from scratch, but does it taste better or have a better texture than using a cake mix? Also, I love that you listed both sizes of cake mixes and the changes in ingredients.
I think that really depends on the person. The flavor is different because cake mixes have a very distinct flavor to them. If you prefer that, then I’d go with a cake mix (that’s the more traditional way). If you don’t feel strongly about that flavor and like it more “homemade”, then go homemade. There’s not much difference other than that. The texture is the same.