Lemon Gooey Butter Cake with a Cake Mix Shortcut
Recipe by:This easy Lemon Gooey Butter Cake starts with a lemon cake mix and bakes into a soft, buttery crust topped with a tangy cream cheese filling. It’s perfectly gooey in the center, lightly crisp at the edges, and finished with a dusting of powdered sugar for a simple yet crowd-pleasing dessert.
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 package (15.26 ounces) lemon cake mix
- 2 large (2) eggs room temperature
- ½ cup (113 grams) butter melted
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons (8 ml) vanilla extract
Filling
- 1 package (226 grams) cream cheese 8 ounces, room temperature
- 2 large (2) eggs room temperature
- ¼ cup (59.15 ml) lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon (4.93 ml) vanilla extract
- 3 cups (360 grams) powdered sugar plus additional to dust over the cake
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Spray a 9x13-inch pan with nonstick spray.
- Mix the cake mix, eggs, melted butter, oil, and vanilla. This batter will be thick. Press into the bottom of the baking pan, pressing against the sides of the pan to seal the base.1 package lemon cake mix, 2 large eggs, ½ cup butter, 3 tablespoons oil, 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- Beat cream cheese, eggs, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract in a separate bowl using a hand or stand mixer for 1-2 minutes, until smooth. Add in powdered sugar and beat on low until mixed in, and then increase speed to high for an additional minute.1 package cream cheese, 2 large eggs, ¼ cup lemon juice, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 3 cups powdered sugar
- Pour the cream cheese filling over the cake batter. Bake for 28-35 minutes, or until filling is set. The edges should be brown but the center should still look gooey.
- Remove from oven and cool completely before serving.
Notes
Variations
Leave out the lemon juice and zest, and use a butter cake mix, unless noted.- Classic Gooey Butter Cake: Use a butter cake mix with no added lemon.
- Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake: Add 1 can of pumpkin puree, 8 tablespoons of melted butter, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and ½ teaspoon nutmeg to the filling.
- Chocolate Gooey Butter Cake: Use a chocolate cake mix. Add ¼ cup of cocoa to the filling.
- Cinnamon Gooey Butter Cake: Mix together 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar and 1 ½ teaspoons of cinnamon together, and sprinkle over the topping before baking.
- Red Velvet Gooey Butter Cake: Use a red velvet cake mix.
- Strawberry Gooey Butter Cake: Use a strawberry cake mix. Top with sliced fresh strawberries.
Storage
Store leftovers covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days. You can also freeze individual pieces tightly wrapped for up to 3 months.Serving
Gooey lemon butter cake can be served either warm or cold, depending on your preference. When served warm, the center is extra soft and gooey, almost like a custard. If you prefer cleaner slices and a firmer texture, let the cake cool completely or chill it in the fridge before cutting. Both ways are delicious!Nutrition
Calories: 312kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Sodium: 305mg | Potassium: 52mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 386IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 81mg | Iron: 1mg
The nutritional facts provided are only estimates. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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