By: Jill Mills Updated: Mar 4, 2025

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Made with yellow cake mix, butter, and a cream cheese topping, this Gooey Butter Cake is a rich melt-in-your-mouth dessert that’s super easy to make!

Two slices of gooey butter cake on a white plate

Gooey butter cake (or sometimes called ooey gooey butter cake) originated in St. Louis Missouri back in the 1950s. It’s still popular today! While there are many ways to make it, the trademark of the cake is a dense butter cake bottom topped with a rich cream cheese topping. While the cake is firm, the center stays delightfully gooey and butter. The best part? It’s crazy simple to make!

Why I Love This Gooey Butter Cake Recipe

There are so many things I love about this recipe! Here are just a few of them.

Made with cake mix. This recipe begins with yellow cake mix, which means there’s no measuring of dry ingredients or yeast involved as there is with some other versions. It adds a rich flavor, which I love, and keeps the prep so easy!
Rich, buttery flavor. The yellow cake mix and the melted butter really add the butter flavor to this butter cake! It’s so rich and delicious.
Soft, gooey texture. It wouldn’t be an ooey gooey butter cake without that classic gooey texture! The dense yellow cake pairs so beautifully with the cream cheese topping to create the perfect texture. It’s so good!

Overhead view of slices of gooey butter cake

Recipe Ingredients

This crazy easy cake recipe is made with just 6 ingredients. The exact measurements can be found in the recipe card below.

Yellow cake mix – Using cake mix for the bottom layer of this ooey gooey butter cake keeps the prep super simple.
Butter – Melted butter is key in a butter cake! I used salted butter for the added flavor.
Eggs – Give structure to the bottom layer.
Powdered sugar – Sweetens and adds the melt-in-your-mouth texture to the cream cheese topping.
Cream cheese – Adds a creamy, tangy contrast to the bottom cake layer.
Vanilla extract – Adds flavor to the cream cheese topping.

How To Make Gooey Butter Cake

This cake comes together in just a few simple steps. The printable version of the instructions can be found in the recipe card below.

Pouring the cream cheese topping on top of the cake mix

Prep. Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease the pan.
Make the batter. Combine the cake mix, butter, and eggs. Pour evenly into the pan.
Make the topping. Mix the powdered sugar, cream cheese, and vanilla until smooth. Pour evenly over the cake batter.
Bake. Bake for 35 minutes, until the top of the cake is firm and edges are golden brown.

A slice of gooey butter cake on a white plate with a bite missing

Tips & Variations

Here are a few things to keep in mind when making this gooey butter cake.

Use melted butter. The butter is the liquid in the cake batter so you want it to be already melted. I just pop mine in the microwave for 30-60 seconds.
Room temperature cream cheese. I recommend letting the cream cheese soften to room temperature ahead of time to ensure a smooth, creamy mixture. If it’s still chilled, it may be lumpy and will be harder to mix.
Avoid overbaking. The cake always stays soft and gooey but should not be runny and the eggs should be fully cooked. The center will likely still be a bit jiggly and that’s okay.
Top with powdered sugar. If desired, top the gooey butter cake with a sprinkle of powdered sugar before serving for a final sweet touch.
Add lemon. Try our lemon gooey butter cake recipe for lemon lovers.

A hand holding a slice of gooey butter cake

How To Store Leftovers

Room temperature. This cake can be covered tightly with foil or plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for 2-3 days.
Fridge. Alternatively, it can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days. Just keep it covered tightly to prevent it from drying out.

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