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Gooey Butter Cake
Ingredients
- For the yeasted dough
- 6 tablespoons warm whole milk
at 110°F
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
7g
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
at room temperature, plus more for the baking dish, 85g
- 1/4 cup sugar
50g
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
at room temperature
- 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
213g
- For the buttery topping
- 1/3 cup light corn syrup
- 3 tablespoons whole milk
at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups sugar
350g
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter
at room temperature, 170g
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
at room temperature
- 1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
170g
- Powdered sugar
for dusting
Directions
- 1
Prepare the baking dish: Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter. Set it aside.
- 2
Make the yeasted dough: In a small bowl, combine the warm milk and yeast and let it sit for about 5 minutes. The yeast should bubble on top and that is how you know it is active and good to use.
- 3
Meanwhile, cream the butter and sugar: In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugar, and salt on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the egg and beat until combined. Turn the mixer off and scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula to make sure all the ingredients are incorporated.
- 4
Add the yeast and flour: With the mixer running on low, add the flour in three additions, alternating with the yeast mixture, starting and ending with the flour. Continue to beat the ingredients together, about 4 minutes.
- 5
Let the dough rise: Press the dough into the prepared baking dish making sure it goes all the way to edges. Cover the dish with a clean dish towel and let the dough rise at room temperature until doubled in size, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. I do not recommend the dough rising in the refrigerator overnight. It will be a very thin layer of dough once you spread it out. It’ll bake up quickly and absorb the buttery topping.
- 6
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Do this about 15 minutes before the dough is done rising.
- 7
Make the buttery topping: In a medium bowl, whisk the corn syrup, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Set it aside. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugar, and salt on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, until combined. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour in three additions, alternating with the corn syrup mixture, starting and ending with the flour, until combined.
- 8
Spoon gooey topping over the dough: Spoon the batter on top of the yeasted dough and use the back of the spoon to evenly spread it out to the edges.
- 9
Bake the cake: Bake the cake until light golden brown on top, jiggly in the center, and the edges are firm and have pulled away from the dish, 35 to 40 minutes. The cake will set and firm up as it cools, so it is okay for the center to jiggly just a little. If you bake it until the center is set and firm, the cake is overbaked.
- 10
Cool and serve: Allow the cake to fully cool on a wire rack, about 1 hour. Dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar then slice into squares to serve. Serve at room temperature. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week at room temperature. Resist the urge to pop them in the fridge. It'll firm up too much. If you do refrigerate, bring to room temperature before serving. Did you love the recipe? Leave us stars below!
Gooey Butter Cake
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About this Recipe
Craving that iconic, melt-in-your-mouth experience only a true St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake can deliver? This recipe brings the legendary dessert right to your kitchen, promising a sweet escape with every bite.
Why This Recipe Works
What sets this Gooey Butter Cake apart is its delightful interplay of textures. You'll discover a perfect balance of crumbly edges from the base, a wonderfully chewy center, and an irresistibly gooey topping, making each forkful a unique sensation. It’s this multi-textured magic, combined with its profound sweetness, that makes it truly unforgettable and deeply special.
What to Expect
Prepare your taste buds for an indulgent journey into the heart of St. Louis's most beloved dessert. The foundation of this Gooey Butter Cake is a tender, rich yeasted dough, carefully prepared with warm whole milk, active dry yeast, butter, sugar, salt, and egg, creating a subtle yet essential base. This dough provides a sturdy, slightly chewy counterpoint to the star of the show: an incredibly thick, luscious, and intensely buttery topping. Crafted from light corn syrup, whole milk, vanilla extract, a generous amount of sugar, more unsalted butter, salt, eggs, and all-purpose flour, this topping is wonderfully smooth, sweet, and, true to its name, delightfully gooey. You'll experience a dessert that's comforting, deeply satisfying, and exactly as its name suggests—an unforgettable, sweet, and gooey indulgence that epitomizes classic American baking. The sweetness is pronounced, balanced by the richness of butter and the warmth of vanilla, culminating in a truly decadent treat that will leave you craving another slice.
Serving & Context
This Gooey Butter Cake is perfect for sharing at gatherings or as a special treat for family dessert. Once cooled, a delicate dusting of powdered sugar adds a touch of elegance and enhances its inviting appearance. Serve it simply, letting its inherent richness speak for itself.