St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake
By America's Test KitchenPublished on July 15, 2011
Time
1¼ hours, plus 30 minutes rising and 3 hours cooling
Yield
Serves 9
Ingredients
Dough
¼ cup whole milk, heated to 100 degrees1 ½ teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast ¼ cup (1¾ ounces/50 grams) granulated sugar 2 large eggs, room temperature½ teaspoon vanilla extract ½ teaspoon salt 1 ½ cups (7½ ounces/213 grams) all-purpose flour 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces and softenedTopping
½ cup (3½ ounces/99 grams) granulated sugar 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened2 ounces (57 grams) cream cheese, softened2 tablespoons light corn syrup 1 large egg, room temperature1 teaspoon vanilla extract ⅓ cup (1⅔ ounces, 47 grams) all-purpose flour 3 tablespoons instant vanilla pudding mix 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugarBefore You Begin
Remove the cake from the oven when the perimeter is golden brown and the center is still slightly loose; the topping will continue to set as the cake cools.
Instructions
- For the dough: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. When oven reaches 200 degrees, shut oven off. Line 8-inch square baking pan with foil sling. Grease foil and medium bowl.
- In bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, mix milk and yeast on low speed until yeast dissolves. Add sugar, eggs, vanilla, salt, and flour and mix until combined, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium-low and add butter, 1 piece at a time, until incorporated, then continue mixing for 5 minutes. Transfer batter to prepared bowl, cover with plastic, and place in warm oven. Let rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes. Spread batter in prepared pan. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
- For the topping: In bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat granulated sugar, butter, and cream cheese on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low and add corn syrup, egg, and vanilla until combined. Add flour and pudding mix and mix until just incorporated. Portion dollops of topping evenly over batter, then spread into even layer.
- Once oven is fully heated, bake until exterior is golden and center of topping is just beginning to color (center should jiggle slightly when pan is shaken), about 25 minutes. Cool in pan at least 3 hours. Use foil overhang to lift cake from pan. Dust cake with confectioners’ sugar. Serve. (Cake can be refrigerated for 2 days.)
Time
1¼ hours, plus 30 minutes rising and 3 hours coolingYield
Serves 9Ingredients
Dough
¼ cup whole milk, heated to 100 degrees
1 ½ teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast
¼ cup (1¾ ounces/50 grams) granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups (7½ ounces/213 grams) all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces and softened
Topping
½ cup (3½ ounces/99 grams) granulated sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 ounces (57 grams) cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
⅓ cup (1⅔ ounces, 47 grams) all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons instant vanilla pudding mix
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
Ingredients
Dough
¼ cup whole milk, heated to 100 degrees
1 ½ teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast
¼ cup (1¾ ounces/50 grams) granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups (7½ ounces/213 grams) all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces and softened
Topping
½ cup (3½ ounces/99 grams) granulated sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 ounces (57 grams) cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
⅓ cup (1⅔ ounces, 47 grams) all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons instant vanilla pudding mix
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
Ingredients
Dough
¼ cup whole milk, heated to 100 degrees
1 ½ teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast
¼ cup (1¾ ounces/50 grams) granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups (7½ ounces/213 grams) all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces and softened
Topping
½ cup (3½ ounces/99 grams) granulated sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 ounces (57 grams) cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
⅓ cup (1⅔ ounces, 47 grams) all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons instant vanilla pudding mix
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
Why This Recipe Works
Taking inspiration from rich yeasted doughs like brioche and Danish for our recipe for St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake, we doubled the amount of eggs. Using milk in the dough instead of water gave the cake even more substance, while doubling the sugar lent more than the obvious sweetness—it helped tenderize the cake. To get the right velvety, custardlike consistency for the topping, we beat in some cream cheese with the butter and sugar. Vanilla pudding mix added flavor and produced a creamy, gooey-yet-sliceable texture.
Before You Begin
Remove the cake from the oven when the perimeter is golden brown and the center is still slightly loose; the topping will continue to set as the cake cools.
Instructions
- For the dough: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. When oven reaches 200 degrees, shut oven off. Line 8-inch square baking pan with foil sling. Grease foil and medium bowl.
- In bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, mix milk and yeast on low speed until yeast dissolves. Add sugar, eggs, vanilla, salt, and flour and mix until combined, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium-low and add butter, 1 piece at a time, until incorporated, then continue mixing for 5 minutes. Transfer batter to prepared bowl, cover with plastic, and place in warm oven. Let rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes. Spread batter in prepared pan. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
- For the topping: In bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat granulated sugar, butter, and cream cheese on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low and add corn syrup, egg, and vanilla until combined. Add flour and pudding mix and mix until just incorporated. Portion dollops of topping evenly over batter, then spread into even layer.
- Once oven is fully heated, bake until exterior is golden and center of topping is just beginning to color (center should jiggle slightly when pan is shaken), about 25 minutes. Cool in pan at least 3 hours. Use foil overhang to lift cake from pan. Dust cake with confectioners’ sugar. Serve. (Cake can be refrigerated for 2 days.)
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