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–+ servings
Baked St. Louis Gooey Cake. The top layer browned. Looks much like a brownie.

St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake

A gooey, buttered, layer cake from the St. Louis area, typically served as a coffee cake.
4.42 from 17 votes
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Resting time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course Coffee Break, Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 12 people
Calories 522 kcal

Equipment

  • 9" X 12" pan
  • Large mixing bowl
  • hand mixer
  • oven

Ingredients
  

Crust

  • 1 box yellow butter cake mix 15.25 oz
  • 1 egg
  • 1 stick salted butter, melted 1/2 cup, or 8 tablespoons

Topping

  • 1 pkg cream cheese 8 oz, room temperature
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 stick salter butter, melted 1/2 cup, or 8 tablespoons
  • 1 lb powdered sugar 16 oz bag
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions
 

Crust

  • Preheat oven to 350˚F
  • In a large bowl, add cake mix, egg, and butter. Mix with a hand mixer on low speed until well combined and a dough forms. 
    Box of Duncan Hines Perfectly Moist Butter Cake Mix
  • Spray a 9” x 12” pan with baking spray. 
  • Add the dough to the pan, using your fingers to pat it out into an even layer. Press the dough up slightly around the edges to form a crust.
    Gooey Cake prepared for the oven in brownie pan.

Topping

  • In a large bowl, add the cream cheese, using a hand mixer to beat for one minute to lighten the cream cheese.
  • Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
  • Add the melted butter.
  • Add the powdered sugar in two batches, mixing on low speed to avoid spraying powdered sugar.
  • When the mixture is smooth, pour it over the crust and spread it out evenly.
    Gooey cake in the oven baking. Still yellow.
  • Bake for 40-50 minutes. The batter will turn golden and puff up, deflating as it cools. Do not overbake.

Notes

This cake can be served warm out of the oven, but I found the flavor improved by waiting a day.

Nutrition

Calories: 522kcalCarbohydrates: 74gProtein: 4gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 102mgSodium: 525mgPotassium: 67mgFiber: 1gSugar: 56gVitamin A: 783IUCalcium: 120mgIron: 1mg
Keyword butter, coffee cake, cream cheese, layer cake, St. Louis
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