St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake is a two-layer bar-style dessert: a dense, buttery cake-mix base topped with a soft, barely-set cream cheese filling that stays intentionally soft in the center. It takes about an hour start to finish and uses ingredients most people already have. If you want something genuinely easy that looks impressive on a plate, this is a reliable choice.
Ingredient notes
- Yellow cake mix: Any standard box works. Avoid “moist” varieties with pudding already mixed in — they make the base too soft to hold the topping.
- Cream cheese: It must be fully softened, not just slightly warmer than the fridge. Cold cream cheese will leave lumps in the topping no matter how long you beat it. Set it out at least 45 minutes ahead.
- Powdered sugar: Four cups is a lot — that’s intentional. It gives the topping its structure and the characteristic crackled top. Don’t reduce it.
- Butter: Unsalted is called for, but salted butter works fine here and actually balances the sweetness slightly. Skip the organic qualifier — it makes no practical difference in a baked bar.
Why this recipe works
Two things make this recipe succeed. First, the base is pressed in rather than poured — that compression gives it enough density to support the heavy topping without sinking or merging during baking. Second, the cake is deliberately pulled from the oven while the center still jiggles. The filling sets further as it cools, and if you bake it until it looks fully done, the center will be dry and rubbery instead of soft. Trust the jiggle and let the cooling time do the rest of the work.
Troubleshooting
- The base is soggy or the layers merged: The base dough wasn’t pressed firmly enough, or the cream cheese topping was poured on before the base had a chance to firm up slightly. Press the base down with real pressure — use the flat bottom of a measuring cup.
- The topping cracked and sank in the middle: The oven temperature was too high or the cake was overbaked. Check your oven with a thermometer; many home ovens run hot. Start checking at 38 minutes.
- Lumpy topping: The cream cheese wasn’t soft enough before beating. Beat the cream cheese alone until completely smooth before adding anything else — this is the step most people rush.
- Squares fall apart when cutting: The cake wasn’t cooled long enough. It needs at least 1 hour at room temperature before slicing. Cutting warm means the filling hasn’t set and will smear. Skip the garnish of powdered sugar until after slicing — not worth the extra dish, and it disappears into the surface anyway.
- Edges are hard and dry while the center is still underdone: The pan was too small or the dough layer was uneven. Spread the base all the way into the corners and keep the thickness consistent across the whole pan.
Keeping and reheating
Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap or transfer squares to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days — the cold actually firms the filling into a better texture for slicing. For longer storage, freeze individual squares on a baking sheet until solid, then wrap each one in plastic and store in a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge. To reheat, 10–15 seconds in the microwave brings the filling back to a soft, just-baked texture; any longer and it gets rubbery.
St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake
Equipment
- 9×13-inch (33×23cm) baking pan
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium mixing bowl
- Dry measuring cup (for pressing the base)
- Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
- Fine-mesh sieve (for sifting powdered sugar)
Ingredients
Cake Base
- 1 package yellow cake mix preferably high quality for best flavor
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted, 113g
- 1 large egg
Topping
- 8 oz cream cheese softened, full-fat preferred, 225g
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract pure vanilla
- 4 cups powdered sugar sifted, 480g
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F / 175°C (180°C fan-forced). Grease a 9×13 inch (33x23cm) baking pan and set it aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the yellow cake mix with melted butter and the egg. Mix until fully incorporated to form the base dough.1 package yellow cake mix, 1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1 large egg
- Press this dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Use your fingertips or the base of a measuring cup to ensure a smooth, even layer.
- In another bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, then beat in the vanilla extract. Gradually beat in the sifted powdered sugar until the mixture is smooth and creamy.8 oz cream cheese, 2 large eggs, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 4 cups powdered sugar
- Pour the cream cheese mixture over the base layer, spreading it evenly.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes until the edges are golden brown, while the center remains slightly soft and jiggly.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for at least 1 hour before slicing into squares. The filling will firm up significantly as it cools — do not slice while warm or the squares will not hold their shape.
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently asked questions
Is the center supposed to be soft when it comes out of the oven?
Yes — a jiggly center is correct and intentional. The filling firms up as the cake cools, so pulling it from the oven while the middle still moves is exactly right. If it looks fully set in the oven, it will be overcooked once it cools.
Can I use a homemade cake base instead of a box mix?
You can, but the box mix is actually doing a specific job here: it produces a reliably dense, slightly dry dough that holds up under the wet topping. A standard homemade yellow cake batter is too loose to press into the pan and will bake up differently.
Can I make this the night before?
Yes, and it’s actually better the next day. The filling sets more firmly overnight in the fridge, which makes it easier to cut into clean squares. Just keep it covered and slice it cold, then let pieces come to room temperature before serving if you prefer.
My powdered sugar has lumps — do I really need to sift it?
Sifting matters here because lumps don’t fully dissolve into the cream cheese mixture during the short beating time. A lumpy topping bakes unevenly and has a slightly gritty texture in spots. It takes about 30 seconds and is worth doing.
More recipes to try
- Classic Soft Sugar Cookies
- Chocolate Brownies That Melt in Your Mouth
- Giant Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake
- Creamy Macaroni Salad — a Classic Midwestern Side
