Recipe: Philadelphia German Butter Cake and Gooey Butter Cake

PHILADELPHIA GERMAN BUTTER CAKE AND GOOEY BUTTER CAKE
Source: Post Gazette, Pitsburgh, PA, In the Kitchen,
Thursday, March 28, 2002, By Arlene Burnett, Post-Gazette Staff Writer

Gooey cakes: The pleasure's in the pudding

Kitchen Mailbox was intrigued by the request for a cake recipe described as a "dough bottom with a gooey butter topping." Any recipe described as "gooey" gets our attention. We weren't disappointed.

Philadelphia German Butter Cake is made with a yeast dough. After the dough rises, it's placed in a greased pan -- the topping (the gooey part made of butter and sugar) is spread over the dough. When the cake is removed from the oven, you'll find the cake has baked around a rich filling.

Gooey Butter Cake is made with a packaged cake mix. The recipe calls for a yellow batter cake, but we decided to go with chocolate. When we make the cake again, we'll use the yellow batter and add 1 cup drained canned fruit (maybe pineapple) to the gooey filling. We ran into a small problem with the cake batter.

The directions called for mixing the cake mix, 2 eggs (we used two large eggs) and one stick of butter; this was almost impossible because there wasn't enough liquid to form a batter. Our solution was to add another egg and that did the trick. Maybe the directions should call for 2 extra large eggs. The cake's gooey filling called for cream cheese, powdered sugar and eggs. The result was a beautiful, luscious cream cheese filling surrounded by a rich chocolate cake.

We thank our readers for turning us on to a fun new dessert.

Our last recipe was also sent as a response to the gooey butter cake request.

Jim Huryan of North Lauderdale, Fla., was searching for a shortbread cake with a gooey butter topping. Philadelphia German Butter Cake was sent in by Dorothy Hasek of Franklin Park, and Gooey Butter Cake was sent in by Claudia K. Viehland of Highland Park.

PHILADELPHIA GERMAN BUTTER CAKE

1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup solid shortening, butter-flavored
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 envelope active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm milk (105 to 115 degrees)
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon vanilla
Butter Cake Topping (recipe follows)

Mix sugar with shortening and salt; add egg and beat with mixer about 1 minute until well-blended. Dissolve yeast in warm milk. Add flour, then milk/yeast mixture and vanilla to dough batter. Mix 3 minutes with dough hook or by hand. Turn dough onto floured board and knead for 1 minute. Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with a towel, and set aside in a warm place to rise for one hour or until doubled. Meanwhile, prepare topping and set aside.

Divide dough in two, roll or pat to fit two well-greased 8-inch square pans. Or fit all the dough in one 9-by-13-by-2-inch greased pan. Crimp edges halfway up sides of pan to hold topping in.

When dough is spread, prick lightly with a fork to prevent bubbling. Spread topping over dough. Let cakes or cake stand 20 minutes. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until done. Do not overbake. Topping should be crusty but gooey. Let cool before cutting.

Note: Our cake was ready in about 25 minutes.

BUTTER CAKE TOPPING:
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2/3 cup flour
2 cups extra-fine sugar
2 extra large eggs
4 to 5 tablespoons milk

Cream butter. Stir together flour and sugar. Gradually beat sugar mixture into butter. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. By the teaspoon, add just enough milk to bring mixture to a consistency for easy spreading over the cake, being careful not to make it too runny. Use as directed in recipe for Butter Cake.

Note: We used all 5 tablespoons of milk.

GOOEY BUTTER CAKE

1 box yellow cake mix
2 eggs
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1 pound confectioners' sugar (save a tablespoon for sprinkling over cake)

Mix cake mix, 2 eggs and butter together with a spoon; pour into a greased 9-by-9-by-2-inch pan.

Mix cream cheese, 2 eggs and confectioners' sugar and pour over the first mixture. Bake 30 minutes in a 350-degree oven. Do not overbake -- the top mixture should remain "gooey."

When cake is cool, sprinkle top with reserved confectioners' sugar.