St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake
intro
A beloved St. Louis regional dessert with a tender cake crust and rich, gooey sweet butter top, dusted with powdered sugar for a nostalgic, indulgent bite.
Ingredients
Steps
Preheat Oven, Grease Baking Pan
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C), then generously grease a 9x13 inch (23x33cm) baking pan with 1 teaspoon of softened butter or nonstick cooking spray, and set it aside. This prevents the sweet, buttery crust from sticking to the pan as it bakes.
Combine Dry Ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 ½ cups (180g) all-purpose flour, ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon table salt, stirring to evenly distribute the dry ingredients. Add ½ cup (113g) of the melted, slightly cooled unsalted butter and 1 large egg, then stir with a wooden spoon until a thick, shaggy, uniform dough forms. Press the dough firmly and evenly across the entire bottom of the prepared pan, creating a flat, compact base layer with no gaps.
Beat Cream Cheese and Butter
In a separate large mixing bowl (or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment), beat 8oz (226g) softened full-fat cream cheese and the remaining ½ cup (113g) softened unsalted butter on medium speed for 2 minutes, until completely smooth with no visible lumps. Add the remaining 2 large eggs and 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, then beat on low speed for 30 seconds until just combined, taking care not to overmix and incorporate excess air, which can cause the topping to crack as it bakes.
Mix in Powdered Sugar
Gradually add 3 cups (360g) of the powdered sugar to the cream cheese mixture, beating on low speed for 1 minute until the sugar is fully incorporated and the topping is thick, pourable, and glossy. Pour the entire topping mixture evenly over the pressed crust layer, using a rubber spatula to spread it gently to the pan edges so no crust is exposed.
Bake the Cake
Place the assembled pan on the middle rack of the preheated 350°F (175°C) oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. The cake is done when the outer 1-inch edges are deep golden brown and fully set, but the central 2-inch area will still look slightly jiggly and underbaked; do not bake longer, as the center will set as it cools to create the signature gooey texture.
Cool Cake, Dust with Sugar
Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely in the pan set on a wire rack for 30 minutes at room temperature. Once cooled, dust the top evenly with the remaining ¼ cup (30g) powdered sugar, then cut into 9 equal pieces to serve.
Tips
2.Use full-fat brick-style cream cheese, not whipped spreadable or low-fat cream cheese, for the smoothest, richest topping that does not separate or turn watery during baking.
3.Wait until the cake is fully cooled (30 minutes at room temperature) before dusting with powdered sugar and slicing; warm cake will absorb the sugar and cause slices to slump and lose their shape.
OMG I made this for my kid’s soccer team potluck last weekend and people were begging me for the recipe before halftime! It was so easy to throw together, I didn’t even need to run to the store for special ingredients. The gooey center is *chef’s kiss* exactly like the ones I grew up eating at family cookouts in St. Louis. 10/10 will make again!
Wait, hold on—when the recipe says “don’t overmix the top layer” is that a real rule? I accidentally stirred mine for like 2 extra minutes because I got distracted by my dog barking, and I’m panicking it’ll be ruined! It’s in the oven right now, fingers crossed.
SO good. I was worried a cake labeled “gooey” would be too messy for my weekly book club, but it held up perfectly even when I cut it into little squares to serve. The cream cheese base gives it that perfect tang that cuts the sweetness so it doesn’t feel cloying. Will be adding this to my regular rotation!
Game changer. I’ve tried three different gooey butter cake recipes over the years and this one is by far the easiest and most accurate to the real St. Louis version I had when I visited a friend there a few years ago. No weird fancy steps, no fancy equipment, just straight up buttery, sugary goodness.
My kids loved it! Wait, quick question—can I make this the night before an event and keep it in the fridge, or is it best served fresh? I have a school fundraiser tomorrow and I don’t have time to bake in the morning between drop offs.
Has anyone tried making this with a gluten free yellow cake mix for the crust? I’m GF and have been craving gooey butter cake so bad since I had to cut out wheat a couple years ago. Would love to know if it works before I waste ingredients!
I brought this to my family’s Easter dinner and even my super picky grandma who “doesn’t like sweet desserts” went back for a second slice. The texture is insane—crispy edges, soft buttery crust, that oozing gooey middle that’s just sweet enough without making your teeth hurt. I will never make another cake recipe again, tbh.
Wait y’all, I messed up and used salted butter instead of unsalted for both layers because that’s all I had in my dorm mini fridge. Is this gonna be way too salty? I already poured it in the pan lmao.
This is way easier than I thought it would be! I usually stick to meal prep savory meals because baking feels too high effort, but this took me 10 minutes of prep tops before popping it in the oven. It’s cooling on my counter right now, and I already know I’m gonna be snacking on slices all week as a little after work treat.
I remember my mom making a version of this when I was a kid in the 80s, but she lost the recipe years ago. I tried this one last night and it tasted exactly like my childhood! The whole house smelled like butter and sugar while it was baking, I almost cried when I took the first bite.
Wait, the cook time says 1 hour 25 minutes total including cooling? Mine took almost 2 hours total because I let it cool way longer because I was scared it would be too runny if I cut it early. Did I do something wrong? It still tasted great but I want to get the timing right next time!
SO good with a cup of black coffee in the morning. I had a slice for breakfast yesterday and it gave me the perfect little sugar rush to get through my morning meetings. The edges get that slightly caramelized crunch that is just unmatched. I didn’t even add powdered sugar and it was perfect as is.
Has anyone tried adding mix-ins to this? I’m thinking chocolate chips or maybe even a swirl of peanut butter for my next batch, but I don’t want to mess up the texture of the gooey layer. Any suggestions?
I made this for our town’s annual bake sale and it sold out in 10 minutes! People were asking if I had extra slices stashed in my car, it was wild. For how easy it is, I can’t believe how much people lose their minds over this cake.
This is the perfect easy dessert for when you forget you’re supposed to bring something to a gathering. I’ve made it three times in the last month, each time with stuff I already had in my pantry. No fancy skills needed, no special pans, just pure deliciousness. 10/10 for beginner bakers.
Wait, how sweet is this, really? I have a massive sweet tooth but I try not to eat things that are so sweet they make my teeth hurt. I love gooey butter cake but I’ve had versions that were basically straight sugar with no depth.
Served this at my weekend brunch alongside mimosas and fresh fruit, and every single guest asked for the recipe. It’s rich enough that a small square is totally satisfying, so it feeds a crowd way better than a regular layer cake. Will be my go-to brunch dessert from now on!
My teen daughter asked for gooey butter cake for her birthday instead of a regular fancy birthday cake, and I was nervous because I’m terrible at baking. This recipe was so straightforward I didn’t mess it up even once! She said it was better than the one we got at the bakery in St. Louis last summer. Win for dad points.
I drove through St. Louis last summer and stopped at a famous bakery for gooey butter cake, and I’ve been chasing that flavor ever since. This recipe is dead on—same buttery crust, same oozing sweet top, same little dusting of powdered sugar that gets all over your shirt when you take a bite. Saved this recipe forever.
Y’all I fully forgot to set a timer and left this in the oven 10 minutes longer than the recipe said, and the edges were a little crispy but the middle was still perfectly gooey? This recipe is foolproof, I swear. I’m the person who burns boxed brownies and even I couldn’t mess this up.