Sweet Baked Life

Get ready to sink your teeth into these amazingly soft Gooey Butter Bars that are layered with buttery goodness!

Do you see these beautiful bars oozing with vanilla deliciousness? Well, be warned, if you make them they won’t be in your sight for very long! That’s because these Gooey Butter Bars are THAT good! Yep, you, your friends and family will devour them in no time!

These unique bars go by many names such as Chess Pie, Chess Bars, Gooey Butter Cake and Gooey Butter Bars. There are homemade versions, quick versions and even a St. Louis version. There are also many different flavors too including lemon, spice, toffee and chocolate.

This simple vanilla version stems from Paula Deen. So thanks Paula for a truly lip-smacking treat! You see, I love this lady and her recipes. I used to watch her on the Food Network (that is before I cut my cable!) and was continually mesmerized by her southern charm and of course her use of one of my favorite ingredients, butter!

And if you are weary of using butter, well, don’t be. Just remember, eat what you love in moderation!

These Gooey Butter Bars would be perfect to make for Mother’s Day, a bridal shower, or any springtime or summer occasion. Or for that matter, any time would be the best time to serve up these scrumptious squares!

These melt-in-your-mouth bars combine a soft buttery vanilla base with a gooey and creamy buttery topping. The flavor and texture are hard to resist!

You start with a box cake mix and butter (ok, can’t go wrong here). Then you whip up some cream cheese, sugar, eggs, vanilla and more butter (yes, again, can’t go wrong with more butter). Then you bake it to a golden perfection.

And why is it called gooey? Well, I think it’s because of the topping. When you beat the ingredients together it becomes very gooey. And when it bakes, puffs up and then cracks. You take it out of the oven when the center is still loose, and after it sets up while cooling, the top and bottom come together as one incredible treat!

Gooey Butter Bars

1 pkg. yellow cake mix
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 large eggs
1/2 cup (1 sick) unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 box (16 oz.) confectioners sugar

Turn you oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 13×9-inch pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

In a medium bowl, add the cake mix, egg, vanilla and 1/2 cup melted butter. Stir until well combined. Note, this will be thick. Dump into prepared pan and press into the bottom with your hands.

In a large bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese until fluffy. Add the eggs and 1/2 cup melted butter, and continue beating until smooth. Add the sugar and beat until well combined. Note, this filling will be sticky and gooey. Pour over the cake layer and spread evenly with a spatula.

Bake for 40-50 minutes, until the top is golden, but still a bit loose when you shake the pan. Cool on a wire rack before slicing into large pieces.

I ended up bringing these ooey Gooey Butter Bars to my office for my co-workers to enjoy since my picky family does not like anything baked with cream cheese (I know, what is up with that!?)! These bars got rave reviews, as evident by the immediately empty dish on my desk!

 

{recipe adapted from Paula Deen}