Easy Ooey Gooey Butter Cake Recipe
If you’re a fan of Paula Deen’s famous Ooey Gooey Butter Cake, this easy dessert recipe is for you! Two delightful layers combine to make one rich, decadent dessert, perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth. Whether you call it Cream Cheese Squares or Chess Cake, one thing’s for sure—it’s absolutely irresistible.
Legend has it that Gooey Butter Cake originated in St. Louis, Missouri, where it was accidentally created in the 1930s by a German baker. The baker was attempting to make a regular butter cake but mistakenly reversed the proportions of butter and flour, leading to a dense, gooey result instead of the intended light, airy cake. Despite the mix-up, the cake quickly gained popularity, becoming a beloved dessert in the St. Louis area.
This cake’s gooey texture and rich flavor have made it a regional classic, often passed down through families and adapted with various flavorings over the years. It is also referred to by many names, including St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake, Chess Squares, or Texas Gold Bars in some regions, reflecting its wide appeal and different interpretations.
Paula Deen’s Connection
Paula Deen, the “Queen of Southern Cooking,” helped popularize Ooey Gooey Butter Cake on a national level by featuring her version of the dessert in her restaurants, cookbooks, and television shows. Her adaptation, often referred to as Paula Deen’s Ooey Gooey Butter Cake, includes a cake mix base and a rich cream cheese layer, making it even more decadent. Deen’s recipe adds a Southern twist to this traditional Midwestern dessert, which contributed to its wider recognition across the U.S.
Paula Deen’s Family Kitchen restaurants, which serve a variety of Southern comfort foods, have also included Ooey Gooey Butter Cake as a signature item, attracting many fans of the dessert who either enjoy it in her restaurant or recreate it at home. Her version is closely linked to the classic recipe from St. Louis but adds an extra layer of indulgence with the use of cream cheese and powdered sugar, which gives it a cheesecake-like texture on top of the dense cake base.
Thanks to Deen’s influence, this gooey cake has become a Southern dessert favorite despite its Midwestern roots. It’s now a staple for potlucks, family gatherings, and holiday celebrations.
What You’ll Love About This Recipe
- Simple Ingredients: A store-bought yellow cake mix forms the bottom layer, while the top layer is made with powdered sugar and cream cheese.
- Easy to Make: With only a few steps, this easy recipe can be whipped up in no time using kitchen staples.
- Perfect for Cheesecake Lovers: The gooey cream cheese layer on top will remind you of your favorite cheesecake.
- Great for Any Occasion: This dessert is a crowd-pleaser at potlucks, family dinners, or holiday gatherings.
Ingredients
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- 3 large eggs
- 1 stick (½ cup) salted butter, melted
- 1 (8 oz) block cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 3½ cups powdered sugar (it’s also called confectioners’ sugar) – a 16 ounce box
How to Make Ooey Gooey Butter Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray or line with parchment paper for easy removal.
- Make the Base Layer: In a large bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the cake mix, 1 egg, and melted butter. Beat at medium speed until a dense cake base forms. Spread the mixture evenly in the prepared pan.
- Prepare the Gooey Top Layer: In the same bowl, mix the remaining 2 eggs, softened cream cheese, and powdered sugar. Beat until smooth and creamy. Pour the cream cheese mixture over the cake batter.
- Bake: Bake in a preheated oven for 35-40 minutes until the top is golden brown. The center should still be slightly gooey.
- Cool and Serve: Let the cake cool completely on a wire rack before slicing. Enjoy!
Tips for Perfect Ooey Gooey Butter Cake
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Ensure your cream cheese is softened to room temperature for a smooth, lump-free cream cheese filling.
- Lining the Pan: Use parchment paper to line your baking dish, making it easier to lift out the whole cake after cooling.
- Texture Tip: The cake should be set around the edges but slightly gooey in the middle. Be careful not to overbake!
Storage
- Room Temperature: Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Use aluminum foil or plastic wrap to cover it tightly and maintain its gooey texture.
- Refrigeration: For longer storage, keep it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Let the cake come to room temperature before serving for the best taste.
- Freezing: You can also freeze this dessert! Wrap individual slices in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil, and store them in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months.
Substitutions and Variations
- Cake Mix Flavors: Switch up the flavor by using lemon cake mix, chocolate cake mix, or spice cake mix instead of yellow cake mix.
- Add-ins: Sprinkle white chocolate chips, crushed nuts, or a drizzle of caramel on top of the cream cheese mixture for extra indulgence.
- Dairy-Free Option: Replace the cream cheese and butter with dairy-free alternatives to accommodate a dairy-sensitive crowd.
Paula Deen’s Ooey Gooey Butter Cake (Clone)
Ingredients
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- 3 eggs
- 1 stick butter melted
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 16 ounces powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 9×13 baking dish with non-stick spray.
- Place cake mix, 1 egg, and stick of butter into the bowl of mixer and beat for 1 minute until it becomes a soft dough.
- Spread mixture evenly over bottom baking dish.
- Combine remaining eggs, cream cheese, and powdered sugar in mixer bowl and beat until smooth.
- Spread cream cheese mixture over cake batter and bake for 35-40 minutes until golden brown.
- Allow to cool completely before cutting.
Notes
Nutrition
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Does this need to be refrigerated?
Honestly, we do not refrigerate it. Some may think it should because it is made with cream cheese.
I noticed on your list of ingredients you did not have half of the butter content listed under filling ingredients, but yet in the instructions, you did divide the 18 tablespoons of butter for cake and filling. Just wondering if butter is supposed to be in the filling like you have, because in other gooey butter cake recipes they do not have butter in the filling.
Hi!
There is only 1 stick of butter (8 tablespoons) that is used in this recipe and it is ALL used in the cake portion. Give it a try and come back and tell us what you think.
Happy baking!
This is really good, but I should have cut back on the sugar. Two cups would have been plenty. Easy recipe and quick to make.
I made this and took it to a Red Hat potluck. I received rave reviews, even from people that did not usually eat sweets. Everyone wanted the recipe. I had tried a couple of different recipes but this is the best by far. This has become a family favorite.
Thank you so much for your kind words. It means so much to me. We are glad that everyone has enjoyed the recipe.
I used gluten free cake mix due to gluten allergy. I also used the chocolate and it was fantastic.
We’re so delighted that you were able to make changes and still enjoy it.
Yum! How do you store the leftovers?
I store them at room temperature.
My son and all family and friends love it!!!
We are so glad you love it. It’s one of our favorite dessert recipes.
My sister-in-law makes this recipe, adding a 15 ounce can of pumpkin with the top layer for “ooey gooey pumpkin bars.” This is a delicious variation that we eat at family gatherings in the fall and winter.
Great recipe. I love lemon; has anyone tried flavoring one lemon? How would I make adjustments if I added lemon juice?
Try substituting a box of lemon cake mix for the yellow cake mix. I don’t think you will have to do anything else, though a bit of lemon zest might help to boost the lemon flavor even more.
The Very BEST is with the Chocolate Cake Mix, OUT OF THIS WORLD!
Thank you
I’ve made this a bunch of times and the top never gets that crackled look to it, what am I doing wrong? I’ve followed the recipe exactly
Have you checked your oven to see if it is heating up to the correct temperature? If not, buy an oven thermometer and heat your oven to 350 degrees. Once it indicates that it is at that temperature, check the thermometer for accuracy.
I have tried this twice and after baking for 40-50 minutes, it’s still really wet. I can stick a fork in and it comes out wet kinda. Any advice?
Did you happen to make any changes at all? Any substitutions? Do you know if your oven is heating up to the correct temperature?
We got this recipe over 35 years ago from a sweet little lady in Virginia. Her name was Mrs prather. So our kids grew up calling this Mrs prather’s cheese bars. It is one of our family favorites. St Louis takes credit for this yummy bar but it is all over the South. So who knows where it originated. Doesn’t really matter it’s the best thing I ever put in my mouth!
Just came back from her restaurant in Tennessee everything was awesome. This cake was really good.