Here are two versions of gooey butter cake, one with yeast. I have made the first, the second recipe is from the St. Louis Post Dispatch and they state that they have tested it. I also have a recipe for gooey butter cookies if I can find it if anyone is interested.

Butter Cake (based on cake mix)

1 package yellow cake mix
1 stick of butter (melted)
1 egg

Mix all of the ingredients above and pat in a 13 by 9 inch pan

Topping
1 8 oz package of cream cheese (softened)
2 eggs
1 box of 10x(powdered) sugar

Mix cheese til light and fluffy, add eggs and mix well, then add box of powdered sugar. Beat til all of the lumps are completely gone. Pour this mixture over cake in pan and bake at 350 Fahrenheit for 30 to 45 minutes or until topping is golden... allow to cool. You can use chocolate or other flavors for different types of gooey butter cake.Gooey Butter Cake

For Sweet dough:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 tsp. salt
1 egg
1 (0.6 ounce)cake compressed yeast
1/2 cup warm milk
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 T. vanilla

Mix sugar shortening and salt. Add egg; beat with mixer one minuteuntil well blended. Dissolve yeast in warm milk. Add flour, then yeast-milk mixture and vanilla to sweet dough mix. Mix three minutes with dough hook.
Turn dough out and knead one minute. Place in a lightly greased bowl, cover with a towel and let rest one hour. Prepare ggoey butter.

Gooey Butter

2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup butter
dash salt
1 egg
1/4 white corn syrup
2 1/4 cups flour
1/4 cup water
1 T. vanilla

Combine sugar, butter, and salt. Add egg and corn syrup and mix. Add flour, vanilla, and water.

Divide dough into two pieces. Place in greased 9x9 pan. Crimp half way up sides of pan so filling won't run out and under filling. After dough is spread out punch holes in it with a fork to keep it from bubbling while baking.
Divide gooey butter into two equal parts and spread over dough in each pan. Let cakes stand for twenty minutes. Bake in 375 degree oven for thirty minutes.
Do not overbake!
After they are cooled, sprinkle with powdered sugar.