St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake
St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake Say it: saynt LOO-iss GOO-ee BUH-ter kayk
St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake is a flat, rich coffee cake with a tender yeast base and a sticky, buttery topping that bakes into a gooey layer. It is a local icon of St. Louis, Missouri, sold in bakeries and made at home for potlucks, holidays, and weekend breakfasts. The cake is sweet and rich, with a soft, almost custardy center and lightly crisp edges. Its appeal is the contrast between the simple cake and the indulgent gooey top.
St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake
St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake
Pronounced saynt LOO-iss GOO-ee BUH-ter kayk
- Serves
- 12
- Prep
- 1 hr 40 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Total
- 2 hr 15 min
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free.
Allergens: contains gluten, milk, egg. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
For the yeast base
For the gooey topping
Method
In a small bowl, stir together the warm water, yeast, and 1 teaspoon of the granulated sugar. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes, until the surface is foamy and smells yeasty.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, whisk the flour and salt. Add the remaining sugar, warm milk, egg, vanilla, and yeast mixture; mix on low until a shaggy dough forms.
With the mixer on medium-low, add the softened butter one tablespoon at a time, then knead 5 to 7 minutes, until the dough is smooth, elastic, and pulls away from the bowl. It will still be soft and slightly sticky.
Scrape the dough into a large bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan with the 1 teaspoon butter.
Punch down the dough and press it evenly into the prepared pan. Cover loosely and let rise 20 to 30 minutes while the oven preheats to 350°F (175°C).
In a medium bowl, whisk the sugar, melted butter, eggs, corn syrup, vanilla, salt, and flour until smooth. Pour the topping evenly over the risen dough, spreading it gently to the edges.
Bake 30 to 35 minutes, until the edges are puffed and golden and the center is set but still jiggles slightly when the pan is nudged. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
Dust with powdered sugar, if using, and cut into 12 squares. Serve at room temperature or slightly warm.
Regional variant: Cream Cheese Gooey Butter Cake (modern St. Louis style)
Replace the yeast base with a stiff crust made from 1 box (15.25 oz / 432 g) yellow cake mix, 1 large egg, and 1/2 cup (113 g) melted butter pressed into the pan. For the topping, beat 8 oz (225 g) softened cream cheese with 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1/2 cup (113 g) melted butter, and 1 lb (450 g) powdered sugar; spread over the crust. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 40 to 45 minutes, until the edges are golden and the center is just set.
Cook's notes
- Use an instant-read thermometer to keep the water and milk at 110–115°F (43–46°C); hotter liquid can kill the yeast.
- Do not overbake: the center should still be soft and gooey when you pull it from the oven; it firms as it cools.
- For clean squares, chill the cooled cake for 30 minutes before cutting with a hot, dry knife.
Serve with
Strong coffee or a glass of cold milk.
Make ahead and storage
Bake up to 1 day ahead; cool, cover, and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature or warm gently before serving, and dust with powdered sugar just before cutting.
