Bready or Not: Gooey Butter Bars [Cake Mix Variation]
This fast-to-make take on St. Louis Butter Cake uses cake mix and cream cheese. The result is a super-sweet and chewy sugar bomb that will delight kids and adults. Modified from Centennial Kitchen Fall Baking 2021 Magazine.
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cake, cake mix, cheese, cream cheese
Author: Beth Cato
Equipment
15x10x1 pan
aluminum foil
nonstick spray
Ingredients
Cake base
15.25-ounceyellow cake mix or white cake mix
1/2cupunsalted butter softened
1large egg
Top layer
8ouncescream cheese softened
2large eggs
4cupsconfectioners' sugar
Instructions
Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line a 15x10x1 inch pan (also called a jelly roll pan) with foil; apply nonstick spray.
In a large bowl, stir together cake mix, butter, and egg, until they are crumbly. Pat the entire dough into the bottom of the prepared pan. It will be very thin and fiddly to work with.
In the same bowl, beat together the cream cheese and eggs until they are fairly smooth; a few clumps are okay. Gradually mix in the confectioners' sugar to make a cohesive mix. Spread on top of the crust.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the middle is set and golden brown. Cool at room temperature, and chill in fridge to completely set.
A reminder that this is called 'Gooey Butter Cake.' Cut pieces finger-sized. Some in the middle may be particularly gooey. If not serving immediately, move pieces to a lidded container and use waxed paper between the stacked layers. They will stay firmer and less-gooey if they are kept chilled.