I lived in St. Louis for a bit when I was growing up and it has been so fun revisiting some of the foods that Missouri is well-known for like this gooey butter cake and toasted ravioli as part of my American Eats series where I’m making famous foods from every state. These deliciously buttery bars are always a hit and while they look like lemon bars, they have a completely different flavor. They are sweet, soft, and buttery, with a warm vanilla flavor to them that is uniquely their own and it is best served room temperature or even slightly warm.
What is Gooey Butter Cake?
Gooey Butter Cake is a St. Louis original with a yeast-raised bottom layer and a rich, buttery baked custard layer made with eggs, corn syrup, and sugar on top. It is a deliciously sweet treat that is more like a cross between a chewy brownie or bar cookie and a dense coffee cake than its name implies. The story behind the recipe is that it was developed in the 1930’s during the Great Depression when a baker at a St. Louis accidentally mixed up the butter and flour ratio in a cake recipe but went ahead and baked the cake anyway, it being Depression times and all. The resulting cake might have looked like a gooey, buttery mess, but it ended up being popular with customers and the rest is history!
Ooey Gooey Butter Cake
There is a cheater version these days, thanks to Paula Deen who popularized using a yellow box cake mix for the bottom crust and a cream cheese filling for the top layer. It has come to be known as “ooey gooey butter cake” to distinguish it from the original and it’s helped spread the popularity of gooey butter cake far beyond the state of Missouri. Obviously I had to try both versions when I was recipe testing and our taste testers (my family and friends) were split on which was our favorite. I preferred the original which I adapted from a New York Times recipe both in terms of texture and flavor, but both were very good and each has its merits since the cheater version is a definite time saver and less intimidating for some bakers. My friend Jana told me in no uncertain terms that she would never make the authentic version because to her it sounded like too much work. Personally I love that kind of old-fashioned baking and honestly, yeast isn’t that hard to work with, so I wrote and rewrote this post multiple times going back and forth between the two versions before finally going with my gut and leading with the most authentic St. Louis gooey butter cake recipe in the interest of pursuing authenticity in my American Eats series. But I’ve also included variations in the notes for an easy gooey butter cake recipe that tastes similar to the original for Jana and anyone else who wants to try both recipes side-by-side and wants to weigh in on which version they prefer! For more gooey dessert bar inspiration, check out these Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars, my Cherry Pie Bars, and these Salted Caramel Cheesecake Bars too!
Why We Love This Recipe
Gooey butter cake has a dense, almost brownie-like texture, that is divine.Authentic flavor, just like you would get if you were visiting a St. Louis bakery. Instructions for a shortcut version with either a box cake mix hack or from-scratch ingredients.
What You’ll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
Milk – This recipe uses whole milk, but you can use lower-fat milk if you prefer.Yeast – Use active dry yeast for this recipe for the base to allow it to rise quickly.Butter – Salted butter will work well for this recipe to provide the enhanced buttery flavor these bars are famous for.Sugar – Use white granulated sugar for the base and filling, and have some powdered sugar (aka confectioners’ sugar) on hand to dust the bars with before serving (optional but it makes them so pretty!).Eggs – These are important both for binding and as part of the rich custard layer that is baked on top.Flour – All-purpose flour will work well in this recipe. You can use a gluten-free alternative if you wish.Corn Syrup – For the base of the thick, gooey filling.Vanilla Extract – Adds a subtle warm flavor to the cake bars.
How to Make This Recipe
Make the Bottom Layer
Make the Gooey Layer
Tips for Success
Use lukewarm water to activate the yeast. If the water is too cold or too hot, it will not work properly.Do not over-bake this gooey cake, or it will lose its signature soft texture. Check 5-10 minutes before the end of the baking time. The center will still jiggle a bit when it is finished, it will set completely as it cools.Let the cake cool and set while still in the pan before cutting it into slices. This will prevent the knife from sticking to the cake mixture, and give you cleaner lines on your bars.Sprinkle with powdered sugar for a bakery-style finish or drizzle with plain icing for a sweeter touch.
Substitutions and Variations
Easy (But Still From Scratch) Version: In a large bowl, whisk together 1½ cups sugar, ½ cup melted butter, 1 egg, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Add 2¼ cups all-purpose flour, 2½ teaspoons baking powder, and ¾ teaspoon salt. Mix until combined. The mixture will be thick, about the texture of cookie dough. Press into a 9×13-inch baking dish. In the same bowl, beat one 8-ounce package of softened cream cheese using a hand mixer until smooth, about 1-2 minutes. Add ½ cup melted butter, 2 eggs, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Beat again, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl. The mixture may look curdled. Add 3 cups powdered sugar. Mix well until smooth, then pour over the bottom layer, spreading into an even layer on top. Bake for 40-45 minutes at 350 degrees F until lightly browned just around the edges and barely set in the center. Cool completely, then dust with powdered sugar.Cake Mix Version: If you want to use the yellow cake mix shortcut, just replace the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in the bottom layer of the easy version with one 15.2-ounce box of yellow cake mix. Everything else about the recipe remains the same.Flavors: You can change the flavor of this butter cake simply by adding in some flavored extract (a little almond extract in the top layer would be especially delicious), cocoa powder, or use a different flavored cake mix like a spice cake mix or chocolate cake mix if you make the cake mix version.
More Bar Dessert Recipes
Peanut Butter Rice Krispie TreatsFrosted Coconut Sugar Cookie BarsCinnamon Toast Crunch BarsAuthentic Greek BaklavaPeanut Butter Blondies
Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Bars
Smores Bars Recipe
Slutty Brownies [Brownie Oreo Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars]
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