Spice Cake Gooey Butter Bars are based on a famous St. Louis cake called “Gooey Butter Cake” and this version is based on a particular recipe from Paula Deen. It's a Gooey Butter Cake that uses cake mix as a base, which means you can mix and match the flavors. So I made Gooey Butter Cake or in this case, bars, with spice cake mix.
Spice Cake Gooey Butter Bars
Crust:
18.25 oz spice cake mix
8 tablespoons melted butter (regular salted)
1 large egg
Topping:
8 oz cream cheese, softened
2 large eggs
1 pound powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 tablespoons melted butter (regular salted)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 13x9 inch metal pan with foil and spray with cooking spray.
Mix together cake mix and butter. When moist and crumbly, blend in the egg. Press into the pan.
Beat together cream cheese and egg. Add powdered sugar and beat until creamy. Beat in the vanilla, then slowly add the melted butter.
Pour the cream cheese mixture over the crust and bake for 40-45 minutes or until sides appear set. Middle should still be very jiggly. Cool completely, then chill for a few hours.
Lift from pan and cut into squares or bars. Makes anywhere from 24 to 32.
Anna says
Hi Lorree!
Thanks for the comment. I actually think I'd like the lemon version better. Somewhere on this blog there's a recipe for Easy Cheesy Lemon Bars which is probably similar to the lemon version of these. I just love those.
Lorree says
Hello! I have made a lemon version of these bars with lemon cake and lemon juice. They are so yummie but I love anything lemon. I love your blog!
Johnna Knows Good Food says
These looks soo good...I want to try!
bakingblonde says
Those sound soooo sweet! Maybe too sweet for my tastes, but the neighbor kiddos would love these! I may make some for the community Garage Sale next week.
Anonymous says
How could you go wrong with something called Butter Bars. They look delicious. I could feel my blood sugar rising as I read the recipe.
Sorry guys for the heat. Here in MN it's a gorgeous 82 degree day with an awesome breeze.
Amy D. says
My a/c guy came out yesterday...twice. UGH.
Cathy - www.wheresmydamnanswer.com says
When it cools down here in Mayberry where it is pushing 105 - 108 I will make these. They look so great. Also might be fun to drizzle some chocolate on top as well.
Cheers
Cathy
http://www.wheresmydamnanswer.com
kimberleyblue says
Sudafed generally has pseudoephedrine in it - I know I have a hard time taking it because of it (racing heart, etc), so maybe you should look into a medication with a different ingredient?
Those bars sound wonderfully rich and delicious. If it wasn't so hot, I'd whip up a batch right now!
Brittany says
I've had a lot of gooey butter cake in my time in St. Louis, but never thought about a spice cake base. Sounds great!
Carole R. says
I only have window air conditioning units and I don't have one in the kitchen. If I ever get a new home it will have central air.
This recipe has been tucked away for a cooler day.
Anna says
Well, it looks like we need a new AC too. Ours is 8 years old, so this was coming. Our new one should be installed tomorrow.
Heidi says
I will say a silent prayer for all those suffering w/out AC in the south, esp in TX when we will see our first 100+ temps this week.
My AC went out in a condo I had just bought once. It took 6 WEEKS and I am not lying to get a new one. They couldn't figure out how to get a new unit up on the roof short of getting a crane. I took showers at the gym and slept at my bf's.
Ashley says
Ooo those look good. I love bars and these look perfect.
Kristin W says
I am so with you, Anna. Our AC is *completely* dead. As in, we have to buy a whole new system. In Nashville. In July. In a 95-degree week. There is absolutely no cooking of any kind going on at our house. And really, barely any eating. Because it's too hot to eat. It's too hot to do laundry. It's too hot to think. Did I mention that I'm hot?
Sweating in sympathy,
Kristin
Katrina says
Do all the gooey butter cakes have a cream cheese topping? The one I was picturing from Paula Deen was just a really gooey cakey looking blondie. Looks good!
Amy says
When I was a teenager, my aunt told me and my cousin that if we wanted to learn to drink black coffee, having it with something super sweet was the way to do it. And she made Gooey Bars for us.
I'm not sure why she thought we wanted to learn to drink black coffee or if we even did want to, but it worked.