Gooey Butter Cake

Updated October 9, 2023

Total Time
40 minutes
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Rating
4(26)
Comments
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Ingredients

Yield:8 to 10 servings
  • 1 cup sugar

  • ⅓ cup vegetable shortening

  • 3 tablespoons butter, plus butter for greasing the pan

  • 1 tablespoon dried milk powder

  • 1 large egg

  • Pinch of salt

  • ¼ cup bread flour

  • ¼ cup cake flour

  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 1 tablespoon light corn syrup

  • 2 tablespoons water

  • 10 ounces plain Danish or yeast-raised coffeecake

  • Confectioners' sugar

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 to 10 servings)

41 grams carbs; 40 milligrams cholesterol; 340 calories; 8 grams monosaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 19 grams fat; 1 gram trans fat; 1 gram fiber; 127 milligrams sodium; 4 grams protein; 23 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

  2. Step 2

    In a mixing bowl, cream together the sugar, shortening, butter, milk powder, egg and salt. (For an authentic egg-yolk color, add a few drops of yellow food coloring.)

  3. Step 3

    Add the bread and cake flours, vanilla, corn syrup and water, and mix just until incorporated.

  4. Step 4

    Cut the Danish or coffeecake to fit a buttered 8-by-8-inch pan, leaving a rim around the edge to contain the gooey butter mixture.

  5. Step 5

    Pour the butter mixture over the cake and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar to taste.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
26 user ratings
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Comments

I love this recipe, it is a new party and family favorite. I add apples and or pears between the layers, and add a teaspoon of ginger. I also use a 1/4 cup of apple sauce instead of eggs when I am serving folks with egg allergies or are vegan. My brother was delighted to see me serve it as he discovered it in Iraq when the St. Louis soldiers used to have it mailed over.

Absolutely not. This is as far from St Louis Gooey Butter cake as it gets. Premade danish?! This is so egregiously wrong.

I love this cake but have a recipe I like without corn syrup or shortening. The top layer crust is mixed separate from bottom layer which has cream cheese in it.

I love this recipe, it is a new party and family favorite. I add apples and or pears between the layers, and add a teaspoon of ginger. I also use a 1/4 cup of apple sauce instead of eggs when I am serving folks with egg allergies or are vegan. My brother was delighted to see me serve it as he discovered it in Iraq when the St. Louis soldiers used to have it mailed over.

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