Stop whatever you are doing and make this. I've said that about a few other recipes before (See Chocolate Candy Crack) but this, you must make. No, I'm really serious. Get in the car, go to the store, buy the ingredients, make this, and then serve it to your husband, wife, lover, mistress, kids, world leaders...pretty much anyone you want eating out of the palm of your hand. Because after they taste this, they're going to be yours. I'm not kidding. This is seriously my Fairy Fat Mother at her best.
And by Fairy Fat Mother I'm talking about the Holy Queen of butter, Ms. Paula Deen herself. I've made many versions of her Gooey Butter Cakes (Gooey Toffee and Gooey Pineapple) and I've raved about every single one. But this one? OH. EM. GEE. The best ever. And soooo simple to make. I swear when I gave a piece to one of The Men Behind the Wheels, he swooned. This is a cross between a brownie, a cake and some fudge. A piece of this with a glass of milk is what I call heaven.
Yes. This is made with a boxed cake mix. I'm sure some enterprising baker out there can find a way to make this from scratch, but while I have 14 episodes of Fringe to get through and a season and a half of Glee to catch up on, boxed cake mixes are my friend. This recipe came out of the January/February 2011 issue of Food Network Magazine. This one recipe was worth the cost of the entire years subscription to the magazine. I think I'll keep renewing!
DOUBLE CHOCOLATE GOOEY BUTTER CAKE
(Food Network Magazine Jan/Feb 2011)
1 18.25-ounce package chocolate cake mix
3 large eggs
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, plus butter for the pan
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
3 to 4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, to taste
1 16-ounce box confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped unsalted nuts
Whipped Cream, for topping (optional)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.
In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, 1 egg and 1/2 cup of the melted butter. Stir until well blended. Pat the mixture into the pan and set it aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or using a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the remaining 2 eggs and the cocoa powder and beat until well mixed. Reduce the speed to low and add the confectioners sugar. Beat until well mixed. Slowly add the remaining 1/2 cup melted butter and the vanilla. Beat until smooth. Using a rubber spatula, stir in the nuts. Spread the filling over the batter in the pan.
Bake the cake for 40 to 50 minutes. Be careful not to overcook it: The center should still be a little gooey. Let partially cool on a wire rack before slicing. Serve with whipped cream if desired.
Serves 20 to 24
Note: I used Duncan Hines Devil's Food Cake Mix. I used Hershey's Cocoa.
Note: I used all four tablespoons of the cocoa powder. I tried this with the whipped cream, but honestly, preferred it without. I thought the whipped cream cut into the wonderful chocolate flavor too much.
Note: I used a metal pan.
Note: Serves 20 to 24? Yeah right. Serves one, ME!
Note: You can see the kind of glass like top layer? It's really thin and will pretty much break up when you cut these in squares and handle them at all. Because these are gooey they are not the easiest to cut up.
These were so good right out of the oven. You definitely need to try a piece while the cake is still warm. Do remember, this is the Fairy Fat Mother we are talking about so don't even ask about the calories in this, you just don't want to know.
Oh my, who cares about calories with something like this. I more than likely would have eaten the whole pan. It was so good not out of the oven I can imagine it hot. Make it again please and give me 2 slices next time.
Posted by: Mom | March 23, 2011 at 05:07 PM
Enjoying it every day this week! :-)
Posted by: Mr. L | March 23, 2011 at 05:26 PM
I really like the Food Network mag. And my husband loves all things Paula Deen. I'm going to make this for him this weekend - thanks for the inspiration AGAIN!
Posted by: Associate Girl | March 24, 2011 at 05:53 AM
Mom - I know, calories be damned! You know I'll be making this again soon.
Mr. L - Unfortunately the scale is showing how much of this we are eating :(
Associate Girl - I'm actually liking the Food Network mag more than I thought I would. And pretty much any dessert from Paula Deen works in this house. Hope you enjoy!
Posted by: Mrs. L | March 24, 2011 at 09:40 AM
Wow...just wow....I know it's wrong to drool over a picture...but I did! ;) This is in pile to try out soon.
Posted by: briarrose | March 25, 2011 at 05:54 AM
That looks... evil.
Posted by: Arch | March 25, 2011 at 12:55 PM
I'll be in my bunk. :)
Do you think they would be easier to cut if you do the Alton Brown trick where you make a sling out of parchment paper before you pour the batter into the pan?
Posted by: Chris Lemon | March 26, 2011 at 06:54 PM
Oh. My. Gosh. You just made life so much better!
Posted by: Livin Local | March 26, 2011 at 07:05 PM
Just made this for my husband - he loved it (what's not to love)
Posted by: Associate Girl | March 27, 2011 at 07:53 AM
just found your blog and I'm so excited bc these look absolutely amazing!!!
happy baking!
xo, Mini Baker
Posted by: christa | March 27, 2011 at 10:50 AM
very few desserts are as easy and delicious as gooey butter cake, and you've really amped it up here--god bless ya, mrs l!
Posted by: grace | March 28, 2011 at 12:16 PM
Chris Lemon - They aren't hard to get out of the pan, it's just that they are "gooey" and therefor when you go to cut them in squares, the gooey parts get all over your knife (even with dipping it in hot water first). Personally that's not a problem if you scrap the gunk on the knife onto a plate and then eat said gooey stuff because none of this can go to waste!
Associate Girl - So glad your husband like it! Mine keep eating it until I took the remainder to work.
Christa - Glad you enjoyed!
Grace - I agree, never met a gooey butter cake I didn't like!
Posted by: Mrs. L | April 06, 2011 at 02:56 PM