St. Louis Ooey-Gooey Butter Cake

Note the baked cake needs to cool for 3-4 hours before serving, so plan ahead.

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Lightly grease a deep 9×13 cake pan. A 4-inch deep pan is best as the cake rises when it is cooking.

Empty cake mix and flour into a large bowl. Stir in melted butter and 1 egg. Press mixture into the pan, pressing to the corners until you have an even layer over the bottom of pan. (Mixture will have the consistency of sticky dough. Pressing with clean fingers works best.)

In a large bowl or stand mixer, mix cream cheese, vanilla extract, powdered sugar and remaining eggs. Beat for 3 minutes set on medium high speed, or until smooth with no lumps.

Pour evenly over top of the cake mixture in the pan. Use the back of a spoon to spread evenly.

Place pan on a rimmed cookie sheet and bake at 350ºF for 30–40 minutes until golden brown on top. (You will really have to watch it here, it can burn, and if it does, it’s no good. Take cake out when it turns a darkish golden brown. There will be a paper-thin sugar “crust” that will form while the cake is baking. It’s the top layer of sugar hardening, and this is what will turn brown. You want this!)

Allow cake to cool for 3-4 hours. This is very important; the cake will not cut easily until it is cool. You will notice that the cake has sunken and set. This is perfect! It should be gooey underneath that layer of sugar sin.

You can then put cake in the fridge, or not. It may not last long enough to worry about it. Dust the top with confectioners’ sugar (optional) before serving.