Recipe: Gooey Butter Cakes (using cake mix - with 6 variations)

GOOEY BUTTER CAKES

FOR THE CAKE:
1 (18.25 ounce) box yellow cake mix
1 egg
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
FOR THE FILLING:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 (16 ounce) box confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 13x9x2-inch baking pan.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine cake mix, egg and butter and mix well. Pat into the bottom of prepared pan and set aside.

Still using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth; add eggs and vanilla. Dump in confectioners' sugar and beat well. Reduce speed of mixer and slowly pour in butter. Mix well. Pour filling onto cake mixture and spread evenly.

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Don't be afraid to make a judgment call on the cooking time, because oven temperatures can vary. You want the center to be a little gooey, so don't bake it past that point. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

Cut into squares. Just remember that these wonderful little cakes are very, very rich, and a little will go a long way.

VARIATIONS:

PINEAPPLE GOOEY:
Add a 20-ounce can of drained crushed pineapple and an extra egg to the cream cheese filling. Proceed as directed above.

LEMON GOOEY:
Use a lemon cake mix in place of the yellow cake. Add the juice of (approximately 1/4 cup) and zest of two lemons to the cream cheese filling. Proceed as directed above.

CARROT CAKE GOOEY:
Use a spice cake mix, and add 1 cup of chopped nuts and 1 1/2 cups finely grated carrots to the cream cheese filling. Proceed as directed above.

Click here for Pumpkin, Banana, and Peanut Butter variations

Yields 20 to 24 squares
Source: Paula Deen