St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake from Scratch

5 from 1 vote

St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake from Scratch

This St. Louis gooey butter cake is made entirely from scratch - a forgiving yeasted base topped with vanilla-butter goo, no cake mix required. Make it a day ahead and dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Prep Time45

Cook Time30

Resting/Rising Time2 10

Total Time3 25

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 206kcal

Author: Leona Konkel

Equipment

electric mixer
9x13 inch pan

Ingredients

Yeasted Cake Base

3 tablespoons milk 45 grams
2 tablespoons lukewarm water 30 grams
2 teaspoons yeast
6 tablespoons unsalted butter 84 grams; at room temperature
3 tablespoons granulated sugar 40 grams
¾ teaspoon table salt
1 large egg ~50 grams; at room temperature
1 ¾ cups flour 210 grams

Gooey Butter Topping

¼ cup light corn syrup 78 grams
2 tablespoons water 30 grams
2 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract 13 grams
12 tablespoons unsalted butter 156 grams; at room temperature
1 ½ cups granulated sugar 300 grams
½ teaspoon table salt
1 large egg 50 grams; at room temperature
1 ¼ cups flour 155 grams
powdered sugar for topping

Instructions

Yeasted Cake Base (25 Minutes)

If using active dry yeast, stir to dissolve it in the milk and water. If you have trouble dissolving it, set it aside for a few minutes to soften the yeast, then stir again. The mixture will smell fragrant and yeasty. If using instant yeast, you'll add it with the flour at the beginning of Step 3.
With an electric mixer or the paddle attachment of a stand mixer, cream the butter, sugar, and salt at medium speed for a few minutes, until smooth and combined. Scrape down the bowl, add the egg, and mix until combined.
On low speed, mix in half of the flour and all of the instant yeast (if using). Follow it with all of the liquid mixture, then add the remaining flour.
Scrape down the bowl, then mix with the paddle attachment at medium speed for 4-5 minutes, until the dough is smooth and stretchy. If using a hand mixer, knead the dough by hand instead.
Pat dough into a greased 9x13 inch pan, stretching it out to the edges. If the dough doesn't stretch out to the edges, let the dough rest for a few minutes before patting it out the rest of the way.

Rise (2 hours 30 minutes)

Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for about 2 ½ hours. Dough may just be puffy; it may be doubled; or it may seem no different. As long as the dough smells like yeast, all is fine.

Gooey Butter Topping (20 minutes)

About 20 minutes from the end of rising time, preheat the oven to 350F and make the gooey topping. Whisk together the corn syrup, water, and vanilla in a small measuring cup.
Using a stand or electric mixer, cream together the butter, sugar, and salt until light and fluffy. Scrape the bowl, then add the egg and mix until combined.
Add half the flour to the butter mixture, then scrape down the bowl. Add the corn syrup mixture, then the rest of the flour.
Scrape down the bowl again, then mix at medium speed for 30 seconds more. Gently spoon and spread the topping evenly over the cake dough and up to the edges of the risen base. Deflating the base unevenly causes the topping to pool in low spots and leaves other places without enough goo.

Bake (30-45 minutes)

Bake cake for 30 (in a metal pan) to 45 (in a ceramic or glass pan) minutes. The cake will still be liquidy in the center when it is done, but it will be golden around the edges. You will think it's not done, but it is.

Do not overbake. A cake that looks set will be an overdone cake.

Remove the cake from the oven and cool completely in the pan, at least 2 hours. The filling will initially be puffy but will deflate as it cools.
Dust with powdered sugar before serving. Store in the refrigerator, but bring leftovers back to room temperature before serving.

Notes

The main flavors in this are butter and vanilla. Use freshly purchased butter, and good real vanilla extract.

Corn syrup is necessary in this recipe to keep the gooey topping soft. Honey or agave have not been tested; they will impact flavor and how the cake sets.

This recipe is adapted from King Arthur Baking. Calorie count is an estimate only.

Nutrition