Gooey Butter Cake

As a St. Louis native there is nothing more comforting than a slice of really good gooey butter cake. It’s simple enough to make but it does take just a few tricks to make it perfect. 1) add a tiny bit of almond extract to the crust only, no more than a 1/4 of a teaspoon or it overpowers the iconic flavor of the yellow cake. 2) it should be *underbaked*, that’s how you get the perfect crust that’s not dry. 35-40 min at 325F is perfect in my oven 3) add a little bit of lemon zest (NOT lemon extract) to the icing if you wish to elevate the flavor a bit. 4) be patient and let the cake cool completely. The icing will deflate as it cools creating that signature caramelized crust around the corners. 5) don’t forget to top it off with powdered sugar!

I used 2 cups of powdered sugar and I did not miss the missing sugar, it’s definitely sweet enough. I added almond extract to the crust layer, and I would add even more next time. I served it with vanilla bean ice cream, whipped cream and some berries. I would say, don’t skip the berries, it adds a really lovely fresh brightness to the cake. It’s an indulgent treat for sure. Especially with a glass of port.

I followed the recipe and it came out nice. The bottom crust was a little dry but it could have been because I let it sit in the oven a little as I didn't think it was done. When they family tries it...that will be the TRUE TEST.

I enjoyed this recipe and yes I made a small change , I used only 1 and a half cups of sugar instead of four and it’s still great. Love this.

Absolutely love this! Easy and simple to make and delicious!

easy recipe 😍 I left mine in the oven 5 extra minutes,don't expect any leftovers cause there will be none!!!!

I made this at Thanksgiving and Christmas. I also made this one tonight. Fresh out of the oven. We love it. ❤️. Rena McCraw Jacksonville, Arkansas

This is a VERY sweet cake! I think adding some lemon extract to the top layer, and butter extract to the crust would be interesting. Easy recipe to make quickly!

My hand mixer broke on the 2nd batch so I mixed it my hand with a whisk and it definitely didn't come out right.I made two batches at the same time. This is the one I mixed the powdered sugar in by hand. It had no crust on top.