Gooey Butter cake

Gooey butter cake was a delicious mistake made during the Great Depression era.  In the 1930s, in St, Louis, Missouri where a large number of German immigrants lived, a German baker mixed the measurements when he was trying to make coffee cake.  Given the circumstances of the times and butter being such a hot commodity, he did not want to waste what he just baked.  He decided to cut them up into squares and sell them by the piece, and needless to say they were a huge hit! People couldn’t get enough.  It has since become a famous St. Louis treat that people flock to the city for.

Enter the year 2020, Covid-19 time when even I have never cooked and baked so much in all of my life.  The entire family now eats all three meals in addition to dessert after dinner, snacks multiple times a day, and still say they’re hungry! I’m being stingy or one may call it resourceful with my pantry ingredients because I want to limit my trips to the supermarket so in my home, butter is a hot commodity.  This recipe is amazing in that it doesn’t require fancy ingredients and it just.tastes. so. good!  The gooey part is perfect against the crunchy exterior and the soft moist cake.

I made this cake using my Wolf Gourmet Stand mixer.  Besides the mixer being so beautiful to look at and such a lovely addition in my kitchen, it works like magic.  So smooth and seamless, it was meant to be in the kitchen baking and cooking.

There is a local steakhouse, Mastro’s that has a very famous butter cake on their menu.  There was a period that my husband would make us go several nights a week, just for the butter cake.  We have since toned down the amount of butter we allow into our bodies.  However, during Covid-19 times, calories don’t count.  And this cake rivals that cake.  So I’m not sure if at this point you should thank me or I should apologize.

The gooey part in this cake is really what makes it so spectacular.  So don’t be stingy with the gooey part and apply it everywhere you can.  Really make sure that every single corner of that cake gets some goo on it.  Enjoy this in the morning with a cup of coffee or tea, after dinner to satisfy your sweet craving or all day everyday during Covid-19 times. Stay safe and sanitized everyone.

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Gooey Butter Cake

Prep Time

30 mins

Cook Time

45 mins

 

This easy and delicious butter cake requires few pantry ingredients and complety hits the spot. It was made famous during the Great Depression when a German baker in St. Louis made a mistake with his ingredient quantities and instead of being wasteful, he cut it up into squares and served it. People fell in love and it has since become a staple in St. Louis.

Author: Nadia Hubbi

Ingredients

Cake

• 1 3/4 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 Tbls baking powder
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 3 large eggs room temperature
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups sour cream

Goo

• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup butter unsalted
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 large egg room temperature
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/3 cup light corn syrup
• 2 Tbls whole milk
• 1 Tbls vanilla extract

Instructions

GOO

1. Using a stand mixer (or an electric mixer) beat sugar, butter and salt for 3 minutes on medium speed
2. Beat in egg.
3. Slowly add flour on low speed
4. Add corn syrup, milk, vanilla, and beat on low speed until well combined
5. Set aside

Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Butter a 13x9 pan
3. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside
4. Using a stand mixer (or electric mixer) mix both sugars and butter for 3 minutes
5. Beat in eggs
6. Add vanilla
7. Reduce mixer to low and slowly alternate between dry ingredients and sour cream
8. Put batter in the pan and put goo all over the entire surface.
9. Bake for 45 minutes.
10. Let it cool for 1 hour
11. Enjoy