Name: Gooey Butter Cake with Brown Butter
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 1 box golden butter recipe yellow cake mix; ½ cup butter; 2 eggs; 8 ounces cream cheese (softened); 4 cups powdered sugar ((1 pound)); ¼ cup brown sugar; 1 teaspoon vanilla; 1 egg

Classic St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake with a twist – this easy Gooey Butter Cake with Brown Butter has a deeper, richer flavor that you’ll crave again and again!

gooey butter cake with brown butter in white baking dish

Yep! You read that right. I love everything browned butter and when we had guests coming over a couple weeks ago, I decided to adapt my traditional St. Louis gooey butter cake recipe.

While that version can be a breakfast danish or dessert, gooey browned butter cake makes an incredible dessert!

Serve it al a mode if you want to go all out! If you can find caramel ice cream – even better.

brown butter gooey butter cake garnished with powdered sugar

The last couple weeks, we’ve been celebrating with friends and saying goodbye as we are preparing to move to St. Louis. My girlfriends and I went to a new restaurant in Kansas City, Newport Grill.

When it was time for dessert, I immediately eliminated the browned butter cake from my options. I’m not a huge fan of traditional cake and certainly don’t want pass up an incredible dessert opportunity for it.

When friend ordered it and I tasted it, I immediately knew it was not traditional cake.

crusty brown butter gooey butter in white baking dish

It was gooey browned butter cake and I had to have it for myself!

Brown Butter is also known as beurre noisette – a warm sauce used in French cooking for vegetables, pasta, fish and chicken.

While it sounds and tastes “fancy” anyone can do it – in fact, you may have on accident without even realizing it!

brown butter gooey butter cake on blue napkin

It is the result of cooking butter until the milk solids turn brown and the water evaporates, resulting in a nutty aroma and flavor.

It tastes rich, like a hint of toasted nuts. Brown Butter enhances just about any baked good that calls for butter, giving it a deeper flavor.

Gooey Butter is a traditional St. Louis dessert that celebs like Paula Deen have recreated dubbing it Ooey Gooey Butter Cake. Whatever you call it, it’s amazing!

Over the years I’ve created a lot of variations to one of our favorite desserts! I don’t want to make the others jealous, but Brown Butter Gooey Butter Cake is my favorite!

It’s a layer of dense, moist cake topped with a sweet cream cheese mixture. The top forms into an amazing delicate crust for a beautiful crunch. It’s texture heaven!

gooey butter cake on a plate with a napkin

Table of Contents

Brown Butter Gooey Butter Cake Ingredients

Simple pantry ingredients is all you will need to make this tasty treat!

Golden Recipe Yellow Cake Mix
Butter – unsalted preferred, softened (learn Learn How to Soften Butter)
Eggs
Cream Cheese – softened (learn How to Soften Cream Cheese)
Powdered Sugar – also known as confectioners sugar or icing sugar

How To Make Gooey Butter Cake with Brown Butter in 5 Easy Steps!

Prep – Preheat oven and grease baking dish.
Brown Butter – Brown until it achieves a beautiful golden color and nutty aroma.
Make Crust – Combine crust ingredients and fill dish.
Make Filling – Combine filling ingredients and top crust.
Bake

You can learn more about how to brown butter with step by step photos and video here.

Tips to Make Brown Butter Gooey Butter Cake

Use an 8×8, 8×8, 9×11 or 9×13 pan. Just adjust baking time. Learn more about Baking Pan Sizes and Conversions here.
This danish / dessert is best kept covered at room temperature up to 4 days. It does not freeze well (due to cream cheese).

sliced brown butter gooey butter cake with blue napkin on marble counter

More Gooey Butter Recipes You’ll Love

More Cake Recipes to Love:

Did you make this? Rate the recipe and tag me on social @julieblanner!

5 from 21 votes