Gooey Butter Cake is a St. Louis classic that everyone should try! A buttery, ooey gooey filling on top of a sweet dough base, and crispy edges surrounding creamy center…it’s utterly divine!
St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake
This St. Louis gooey butter cake is addictively sweet and wonderfully delicious! Kids and adult alike are going to love this unconventional, ooey gooey cake.
You’ll think you’ve gone to heaven as soon you get a bite! The texture is unbeatable, and the flavor is just delicious.
This cake also inspired my Gooey Butter Cookies, Gooey Chocolate Cake, Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake, and of course these Chocolate Gooey Butter Cookies. All are so delicious!
Why You’ll Love this Gooey Butter Cake Recipe:
- GOOEY: It’s right in the name. The buttery filling will melt in your mouth!
- CRISPY: The crust comes out with lovely crispy edges, which perfectly balance out the creamy cake.
- VERSATILE: This makes for a great weekday treat, dessert, or even to pair with your coffee!
This is the perfect sweet treat for parties and game day! The recipe serves up 18 indulgent squares of deliciousness, so it’s perfect for pleasing the crowd.
How to Make Gooey Butter Cake
Be sure to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions!
- Mix your dough ingredients to form a stretchy dough.
- Transfer the dough into a prepped baking pan, spread into an even layer, and allow to rise.
- Mix your filling ingredients in a stand mixer bowl.
- Spread the filling evenly over the dough base and bake until golden brown.
- Dust with powdered sugar, allow to rest, then serve and enjoy!
Gooey butter cake is a St. Louis classic! It consists of a layer of sweet dough topped with a sugary butter-based filling. It’s baked until crispy around the edges and creamy in the center. Some describe the texture as a cross between a blondie and a lemon bar.
According to legend, a German baker living in St. Louis added the wrong proportions of ingredients in the coffee cake batter he was making, and it turned into a gooey, pudding-like filling. It was an instant hit, and has been a classic ever since!
This is a recipe for the traditional St. Louis butter cake. The traditional recipe is made with a yeast-raised sweet dough and sweet, buttery filling. The more commercial variation (often called ooey gooey butter cake) consists of yellow cake mix with a cream cheese filling.
Although a yeasted cake base is more traditional, you can absolutely make the cake layer with a 15.25-ounce box of yellow cake mix. Use just the cake mix (not any of the ingredients listed on the box), and mix it with ½ cup of melted butter and 2 large room temperature eggs.
If your yeast isn’t foamy, it’s either expired or was killed by milk that is too hot. Check the temperature of the milk, and aim for 100-110°F. Any hotter could kill the yeast. If the temperature is good and the yeast still doesn’t foam, your yeast is probably expired and should be discarded.
Nope! Gooey butter cake can be left at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, you can put it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
This simple yet indulgent cake is perfect with a glass of milk or a nice iced coffee.
Make Ahead Instructions
Gooey butter cake is one of those desserts that taste even BETTER the next day. Time permitting, bake the cake 1 day in advance of when you plan to serve it.
Storage Instructions
Store leftover gooey butter cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Serve at room temperature.
Freezing Instructions
Freeze gooey butter cake tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and set in an airtight container or Ziplock bag for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before enjoying.
Butter Cake Variations
- Add ¼-⅓ cup of unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder to the cake and 1-2 tablespoons to the filling for a chocolate butter cake.
- Stir a few teaspoons of cinnamon into the cake and filling for a cinnamon butter cake.
- Drizzle raspberry sauce over the filling and swirl with a toothpick or toss some raspberries or strawberries into the filling before baking .
- Add chocolate chips or chopped nuts to the filling before baking.
Tips for the Best Gooey Butter Cake
- Grease AND flour the baking pan for easier release.
- Use REAL butter. Most of the flavor in this cake comes from the butter, so don’t use any other substitute.
- Use room temperature ingredients for the smoothest mixture.
- Leave the oven door closed until about 10 minutes before the baking time is up. Opening the oven door before then reduces the oven temperature and can cause the cake to collapse.
- Check the cake about 10 minutes before baking time is up. You don’t want to overbake this cake or it won’t be gooey. The center should jiggle just a bit, but the edges should be set.
- Let the cake cool completely before slicing. It will fall apart if sliced before then.
- Use a hot knife and wipe it down between cuts for cleaner slices of cake.
This homemade gooey butter cake is such a great example of simple ingredients making an indulgent dessert! The mix of creamy and crispy textures makes these gorgeous squares so addictive. If you love brownies, blondies or anything sweet, then this is for you!
If you make this recipe be sure to upload a photo in the comment section below or leave a rating. Enjoy!
Recipe
Gooey Butter Cake Recipe
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 2 hours
Gooey Butter Cake is a St. Louis classic that everyone should try! A buttery, ooey gooey filling on top of a sweet dough base, and crispy edges surrounding creamy center…it’s utterly divine!
Instructions
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Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan with nonstick spray and flour. Set aside.
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Add the yeast and warm milk to a bowl let it rest for a few minutes until foamy.
1 teaspoon instant yeast, ½ cup milk
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In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, ¼ cup granulated sugar
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Add in the eggs, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and salt and beat until combined, about 1 minute
2 large eggs, 1 egg yolk, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
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Add in half of the flour, and beat until incorporated. Then, add in the milk mixture and beat until incorporated. Add in the remaining flour, and continue beating on low speed until the dough becomes stretchy, about 5-6 minutes.
2 cups all-purpose flour
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Transfer the dough the prepared baking pan and use a spatula to spread it into an even layer.
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Cover the pan with a towel and set in a warm place to rise for 1-2 hours.
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Preheat the oven to 325°F.
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To prepare the filling, add the butter, sugar, corn syrup, and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat until combined, about 1-2 minutes.
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1¼ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup light corn syrup, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
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Add in the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract and beat until incorporated.
1 large egg, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon almond extract
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Add in the flour and milk, little by little, beating until well-combined.
1 cup all-purpose flour, ¼ cup milk
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Drop dollops of filling over the dough layer. Use a spatula to gently spread it in an even layer over the dough.
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Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown and the center of the cake is mostly set, but still a bit jiggly.
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Dust the cake with powdered sugar.
¼ cup powdered sugar
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Let the cake rest for a few minutes before slicing into squares and serving. Let cool completely for cleaner slices. Parts of the cake may sink and form little craters, which is totally fine!
Becky’s tips
- Grease AND flour the baking pan for easier release.
- Use REAL butter. Most of the flavor in this cake comes from the butter, so don’t use any other substitute.
- Use room temperature ingredients for the smoothest mixture.
- Leave the oven door closed until about 10 minutes before the baking time is up. Opening the oven door before then reduces the oven temperature and can cause the cake to collapse.
- Check the cake about 10 minutes before baking time is up. You don’t want to overbake this cake or it won’t be gooey. The center should jiggle just a bit, but the edges should be set.
- Let the cake cool completely before slicing. It will fall apart if sliced before then.
- Use a hot knife and wipe it down between cuts for cleaner slices of cake.
Storage: Store gooey butter cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1slice Calories: 284kcal (14%) Carbohydrates: 39g (13%) Protein: 4g (8%) Fat: 13g (20%) Saturated Fat: 8g (50%) Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g Monounsaturated Fat: 3g Trans Fat: 0.5g Cholesterol: 69mg (23%) Sodium: 117mg (5%) Potassium: 60mg (2%) Fiber: 1g (4%) Sugar: 23g (26%) Vitamin A: 420IU (8%) Vitamin C: 0.002mg Calcium: 26mg (3%) Iron: 1mg (6%)