It’s not often when we are testing recipes that we love one so very much. Just recently, the Paula Deen Test Kitchen, was working on some new Gooey Butter Cake variations for Paula to try. When we do this, we typically make all the recipes Paula has already come up with so we can compare. In this case there was regular Gooey Butter Cake, Elvis’ Gooey Butter Cake, Double Chocolate Gooey Butter Cake, Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake and Gooey Toffee Butter Cake. We make them small because a little gooey goes a long way. Of all the gooey butter cakes we made, this one disappeared the fastest! You’ll have to give it a try and tell us what you think.

Gooey Toffee Butter Cake
Ingredients:

Cake:
1 18.25-ounce box yellow cake mix
1 egg
1 stick butter, melted

Filling:
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 16-ounce box confectioners’ sugar
1 stick butter, melted
1 cup almond toffee bits or chocolate toffee bits

Directions
Preheat oven to 350.  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.

Fold in toffee bits.

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 cakes are very, very rich, and a little will go a long way.

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen
Servings: 20-24 squares
Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 50 min
Difficulty: Moderate