Gooey Butter CakeAKA Butter Bars
My sister and I discovered this recipe when we were next door neighbors in college. The hotel where I worked mailed recipe postcards to clients and this was one of the recipes featured. They became an immediate favorite (or shall I say, unhealthy obsession). I recently noticed the exact recipe in a Paula Deen cookbook. She said they serve this at her restaurant, THE LADY AND SONS. In her words, "I could write a full chapter on this dessert. It is the number-one choice in our restaurant."
Butter Bars
Crust:
1 yellow cake mix
1 egg
1/2 cup butter (1 cube), melted
Filling:
1 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 stick butter, melted
3 cups powdered sugar
Combine crust ingredients and pat into a 9 X 13 pan. Beat cream cheese, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Add butter and sugar. Mix well. Pour over crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
Variations: use lemon cake mix and add lemon juice and zest to filling, use chocolate cake mix and add 3/4 cup peanut butter to the filling. I have never tried any of these, if you do, let me know how you like it!
You should also tag these as "breakfast," since the mornings after I make them I always wake up and eat about 4.
ReplyDeleteTHESE ARE MY FAVORITE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I just want to cry thinking about how good these really are. And, breakfast? Who has leftover Butter Bars for breakfast? I never have leftovers of these. They are gone the same day.
ReplyDeletejust popped a pan of these in the oven. so far they look yummy!!
ReplyDeleteMy batter was still jiggly in the middle. So I'm keeping them in longer. I HOPE they turn out! I'm anxious to start a new addiction!
ReplyDeleteMine were jiggly in the middle too. Kept them in the oven with the door closed and temp off. I may have mixed my batter too long. Mine puffed up more than the picture. They still look delish though. Can't wait to try one! :)
ReplyDeleteMine were the same way Doreen. They puffed up around the edges a lot, and was more sunken in the middle. I'll have to try them again...
ReplyDeleteOkay I forgot to come back and comment, but I made the lemon variety of these and !!!!!!!!!!!! they were fab. It was unintentional, we only had lemon cake mix, but what a sweet surprise.
ReplyDeleteI might ditch my very yummy lemon bars for this recipe instead.
My friend has almost the exact same recipe, however, she adds about 1 cup of shredded coconut to the filling, and they are fantasic!
ReplyDeletethat crust looks so thick and delicious.
ReplyDeletemmm i love gooey butter bars... my favorite. yours look awesome.
Made these tonight for a luncheon tomorrow. I've been looking for a recipe like this - loved them from a restaurant in Houston! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI just found your blog and was browsing through it and realized I had everything on hand to make these! They turned out really yummy.. slightly addictive already! Thanks for sharing.
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