Gooey Butter

If you've been over to Lynn, What's for Dinner? you'll know that it's my daughter Jessica's 26th birthday.

Gooey Butter or Cherry Pie is the usual request for birthday desserts and since I already posted Cherry Pie, then Gooey Butter it is. She'll get both for her birthday, which I'm sure will break her heart.

This dessert is also a favorite among my other children—and others. My girls brought Gooey Butter into their work claiming that their momma’s gooey butter was the best. A skeptical boss claimed that it’d be hard to beat his dad’s. But after he took one bite of my gooey butter, he had to admit mine topped his pop’s. He also asked the girls if I wanted a job as a baker.

The original recipe came from my stepmother.

Mix 1 yellow cake mix, 1 egg, and 1 stick of melted butter and spread in a 9x12 glass pan. (In her recipe you are to push the edges up slightly, but I find leaving it even is better. It also calls for greasing the pan, but I don’t as it burns the edges.)

With an electric mixer, combine 1 eight ounce package of softened cream cheese and 2 eggs. This will start to look like scrambled eggs. Then add 1 pound (or around 4 to 4 ½ cups) powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla and mix until blended.

Pour on top of cake mix. Bake in 350 degree oven for 40 minutes. (I usually bake mine longer as I like mine to be really golden brown.)

Cool before cutting. I run a knife around the outside edge after I cut it and before I remove a piece as the edges will stick to the sides of the pan almost like concrete. The edges are the best part – in my opinion. But then others think the middle—the gooeyiest part—is the best.

If the only gooey butter you’ve had is store bought, I guarantee you will never go back to store bought again after you’ve had this.

Jessica, I love you and Happy Birthday!

Rating & Type: E