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Original Gooey Butter Cake

By Paula Deen

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This gooey butter cake recipe from Paula Deen is an easy-to-make dessert. Ingredients include yellow cake mix, softened cream cheese and powdered sugar.
This gooey butter cake recipe from Paula Deen is an easy-to-make dessert. Ingredients include yellow cake mix, softened cream cheese and powdered sugar.

Difficulty: Easy

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Servings: 10

Ingredients

  • 1 (18 1/4 oz) package yellow cake mix
  • 1 egg
  • 16 tablespoons melted, divided butter
  • 1 (8 oz) package softened cream cheese
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 (16 oz) box powdered sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 °F.

Combine the cake mix, egg and 8 tablespoons butter and mix well with an electric mixer. Pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 13 by 9-inch baking pan.

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla and 8 tablespoons butter and beat together.

Next, add the powdered sugar and mix well. Spread over cake batter and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Make sure not to over bake as the center should be a little gooey.

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March 27, 2021
Not all recipes are created equal! To the nay sayer below: I tried other gooey butter cake recipes off the net and they ended up in the trash! Paula’s recipe comes out perfect every time and it is versatile (hence her other gooey butter recipes) I add honey between my layers to make honey butter bars. They are a household favorite!!! Thanks Paula!!

March 14, 2021
This is sickly sweet warm, but SO much better cold from the fridge. I didn't like it at all warm, but much preferred it cold. It's yummy and makes a lot so it's good for a potluck!

November 10, 2020
Could I use splenda powdered sugar instead of regular sugar?

The Deen Team

November 25, 2020
We recommend using this lower-sugar version that is formulated using artificial sweetener: https://www.pauladeen.com/recipe/lower-sugar-gooey-butter-cake/

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March 16, 2024
In the video Paula puts in 2 cups powder sugar (which is 8 oz), half the amount the recipe shows. Which is correct? 2 cups or 4 cups?

The Deen Team

March 19, 2024

The correct amount is 4 cups of sugar! 

December 16, 2023
What brand of cake mix

The Deen Team

January 12, 2024

YOu can use any brand of cake mix!

July 14, 2022
Where to find 18 1/4 oz cake mix

Mine didn't turn out like what we tried at the restaurant, but I could never find an 18 and a quarter oz box of mix. All I could find at any of our grocery stores and even online was 15 and a quarter. Where do you find the 18 1/4 oz. Boxes?


July 14, 2022
I see another reason mine may have turned out oddly. The top of the recipe says 10 minutes prep and 10 minutes cook. If you read the recipe it says to cook for 40-50 minutes! I guess I should have only cooked it for the 10 minutes. 

August 08, 2022

Some of the cook times have not been updated so the 10 minutes is definitely not correct.

August 08, 2022

Most cake mix companies no longer make that size mix any longer. A recommendation is to keep an extra cake mix stored tightly in your pantry, and add a few oz's to a second cake mix when they call for the 18.25 mixes.

February 17, 2022
Can I make without vanilla?

February 18, 2022

Sure!

December 07, 2021
Cake Mix

Could I use a chocolate cake mix instead of yellow?


December 08, 2021

Absolutely! She actually has a double chocolate gooey butter cake recipe which uses a chocolate cake mix! https://www.pauladeen.com/recipe/double-chocolate-gooey-butter-cake/

April 15, 2021
can this cake be baked in a bundt cake and or springboard pan?  thank you

April 16, 2021

The springform pan will work but will probably need to be backed for 15-20 minutes more. I would not advise using a budnt pan since when you flip over it would have the cake portion at the top and the filling on the bottom which should be gooey upon completion.

March 03, 2021
Cake I freeze this cake?

March 03, 2021

Yes you can wrap tightly in aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap!

January 29, 2021
No amounts given for directions...also how and what amounts for pumpkin..still cook till center jiggles

The Deen Team

February 01, 2021

The ingredients are listed above the instructions:

  • 1 (18 1/4 oz) package yellow cake mix
  • 1 egg
  • 16 tablespoons melted, divided butter
  • 1 (8 oz) package softened cream cheese
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 (16 oz) box powdered sugar

If you're wanting to make pumpkin gooey butter cake, here's the recipe: https://www.pauladeen.com/recipe/pumpkin-gooey-butter-cake-2/

November 01, 2022
  I never can find an 18.25 oz. cake mix.  All I find is 15.25oz..  Can someone please rewrite this recipe so the ingredients work with the 15.25oz. cake mix.  I'm assuming most imgredients need to be less.   Thank you!    

December 30, 2020
Can butter cake mix be used for this recipe?

The Deen Team

January 05, 2021

Yes, it sure can be!

November 10, 2020
Could I use splenda powdered sugar instead of regular sugar?

The Deen Team

November 11, 2020

Give this lower-sugar version a try! https://www.pauladeen.com/recipe/lower-sugar-gooey-butter-cake/