Sandra This Paula Deen Lemon Gooey Butter Cake is a gooey and tangy recipe, which is made with fresh lemons and cream cheese. It’s the ultimate comfort food recipe, ready in about an hour.
Paula Deen Lemon Gooey Butter Cake Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 1 (18.25 oz) package yellow cake mix
- 1 egg
- 1 stick melted Butter
- 2 teaspoons pulverized culinary lavender (optional)
For the Filling:
- 1 (8 oz) package softened cream cheese
- 2 eggs
- Juice and zest of 2 large lemons
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 stick melted Butter
- 1 (16 oz) box powdered sugar
How To Make Paula Deen Lemon Gooey Butter Cake
- Prep Oven and Make the Crust: Preheat your oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, combine the yellow cake mix, 1 egg, 1 stick of melted butter, and the optional lavender. Mix with an electric mixer until well blended. Pat this mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 13×9-inch baking pan.
- Make the Lemon Filling: In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until it is smooth. Add the 2 eggs, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla, and beat them together.
- Finish the Filling: With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the powdered sugar until it’s incorporated. Slowly pour in the remaining 1 stick of melted butter and continue to beat until the mixture is completely smooth.
- Assemble and Bake: Spread the lemon cream cheese filling evenly over the cake crust in the pan. Bake for about 45 minutes. The cake is done when it is lightly browned on top and the center is set but still has a definite jiggle.
- Cool and Serve: Be careful not to over-bake, as the center should remain gooey. Let the cake cool on a wire rack before cutting into squares and serving.
Recipe Tips
- How do you know when it’s done? The most important tip for a perfect gooey butter cake is to not over-bake it! The center should still be soft and jiggly when you remove it from the oven. It will continue to set as it cools, but will retain that signature gooey texture.
- How to get a smooth, lump-free filling? The secret is to use cream cheese that is fully softened to room temperature. This is the key to preventing lumps and achieving a silky-smooth consistency when you beat it.
- How to get the best lemon flavor? For the most intense, authentic flavor, you must use the zest and juice from fresh lemons. The zest contains the fragrant oils that provide the biggest flavor punch.
- Is the lavender necessary? The culinary lavender is an optional but lovely addition that provides a subtle, sophisticated floral note that pairs beautifully with lemon. If you don’t have it or don’t care for it, you can simply omit it for a classic, pure lemon flavor.
What To Serve With Lemon Gooey Butter Cake
This cake is incredibly rich, sweet, and tangy, so it’s perfect on its own. It needs very little accompaniment. A simple cup of black tea or a dollop of unsweetened whipped cream are perfect pairings to balance its richness.
How To Store Lemon Gooey Butter Cake
- Refrigerate: Because of the cream cheese filling, this cake must be stored in the refrigerator. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container. It will keep well for up to a week and is delicious served chilled.
Lemon Gooey Butter Cake Nutrition Facts
- Serving: 1 square (1/16th of cake)
- Calories: 460 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 62g
- Protein: 4g
- Fat: 23g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Sugar: 52g
Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.
FAQs
It’s a classic dessert originating from St. Louis. It has two distinct layers: a firm, chewy, cake-like crust on the bottom (often made from a cake mix), and a rich, sweet, and soft gooey filling on top that’s similar in texture to a slightly under-baked cheesecake filling.
This is the most common issue and it is always caused by over-baking. Ovens can vary, so start checking your cake at the 40-minute mark. As soon as the edges are set and the center is no longer liquid but still very soft and jiggly, it’s ready to come out.
Yes. While a yellow cake mix provides a classic, buttery base, you could use a lemon cake mix for an even more intense lemon flavor from top to bottom.
Try More Recipes:
Paula Deen Lemon Gooey Butter Cake Recipe
Description
A sweet, tangy, and incredibly rich two-layer dessert with a chewy yellow cake base and a gooey, lemon-infused cream cheese topping.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13-inch pan.
- For the crust, mix the cake mix, 1 egg, 1 stick of melted butter, and optional lavender. Pat this mixture into the bottom of the pan.
- For the filling, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Beat in the 2 eggs, lemon juice, zest, and vanilla.
- Gradually mix in the powdered sugar, followed by the remaining 1 stick of melted butter, until smooth.
- Spread the filling evenly over the crust.
- Bake for about 45 minutes, until the center is set but still jiggly.
- Cool completely on a wire rack before cutting into squares.
Notes
- The most important tip for this recipe is to not over-bake the cake; the center should remain gooey for the perfect texture.
- For the smoothest, lump-free filling, ensure your cream cheese is fully softened to room temperature before you begin mixing.
- Using both the zest and the juice from fresh lemons is the secret to a bright, authentic citrus flavor.
- This cake is even better after being chilled, which makes it a perfect make-ahead dessert for parties.
