A TREASURED RECIPE

I first learned about St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake a while working at a United Methodist Church in Wyoming, Ohio.  A very sweet young Mother who attended the Church would make these often and bring them to the Church office for the staff to share.  I was completely hooked on them!

Gooey Butter Cake began as a St. Louis specialty.   It has a bottom layer of buttery yellow cake and a top layer of delicious gooeyness.  It is usually served as a coffee cake and not as a dessert cake.

It is believed to have originated in the 1930s.  And although the origins of the cake aren’t certain, one thing's for sure: it's a St. Louis staple!  They’re found in bakeries (in many varieties) all around the St. Louis. Though not as common in the rest of the country, we know that Paula Deen did NOT invent this creation, even though she calls it HER Lady & Sons Gooey Butter Cake”!

The Best St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake

1 box Pillsbury yellow cake mix with pudding in the mix 

4 extra large eggs 

1 stick melted butter 

Pure vanilla extract 

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese 

3-1/2 cups powdered sugar

Crisco or Pam for greasing pan

BUTTER CAKE MIXTURE:

Grease a 9 x13 pan with Crisco on the bottom and all sides. 

Put yellow cake mix in mixing bowl. DO NOT FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS ON THE CAKE BOX. Add 2 extra large eggs, 1 stick of melted butter in microwave about 35 seconds, and 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract. Mix together in mixer. Batter will have a very most feel to it. Take cake batter and spread evenly through 9 x 13 pan so it evenly covers the bottom of the pan. 

Clean off mixers and mixing bowl. 

GOOEY MIXTURE:

Melt cream cheese in microwave about 45-50 seconds. 

Put 3/4 of the powdered sugar in mixing bowl setting aside about 1/4 of the box for topping to sprinkle on after the cake is baked and cooled. In mixer add 3/4 powdered sugar, melted cream cheese, and 2 extra large eggs. Mix together in mixer. This will have a very GOOEY consistency as this is the gooey part of the cake. Take the Gooey mixture and layer on top of the cake batter mixture in pan. 

Bake it at 350 for 30-40 minutes or until the top of the cake is browned.  Make sure the gooey mixture on top of the cake is not too gooey otherwise it will be like a liquid. It is okay if the edges are brown and the top of the cake is lightly browned as well. 

Once cooked remove from oven and let cool about two hours before cutting and adding remaining powdered sugar. Add remaining powdered sugar to coat/cover top of cake, cut like brownies and serve.