Name: Gluten Free Ooey Gooey Butter Cake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour; 3/4 cup Granulated Sugar; 1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder; 1/4 tsp Salt; 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, melted; 1 Large Egg; 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract; 8 oz Cream Cheese, softened; 2 Large Eggs; 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract; 1/4 cup Unsalted Butter, melted; 3 cups Powdered Sugar

This gluten free ooey gooey butter cake is one of those desserts that people go completely silent eating. It’s rich, sweet, and has that perfect gooey center that makes you want another piece right away.

If you’ve never had a gooey butter cake before, it’s a classic St. Louis dessert with two layers. A buttery cake base on the bottom and a cream cheese filling on top that stays soft and almost custard-like in the middle.

The best part is that this version is completely gluten free and you really cannot tell the difference. It tastes just as good as the original.

It’s also a very easy recipe to put together. No fancy equipment needed, just a bowl, a mixer, and a baking pan. You can have it in the oven in about 15 minutes.

Once it cools and you dust it with powdered sugar, it looks beautiful too. Great for potlucks, holidays, or honestly just a regular weekend when you want something sweet.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

It’s Gluten Free and Nobody Will Know – This butter cake tastes so rich and indulgent that everyone will be shocked when you tell them it’s made with gluten free flour.

That Gooey Center Is Unreal – The cream cheese and powdered sugar layer creates a soft, melt-in-your-mouth gooey center that is honestly the best part and the reason this cake is so addictive.

Only Two Layers to Make – You just press a simple dough into the pan, pour the creamy layer on top, and bake, so there’s no complicated layering or decorating involved.

No Mixer Required for the Base – The cake base comes together by hand with just a bowl and a spoon, so you only need to pull out the electric mixer for the gooey cream cheese layer.

Ingredients

For the Cake Base

1 1/2 cups Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
3/4 cup Granulated Sugar
1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Salt
1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, melted
1 Large Egg
1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract

For the Gooey Layer

8 oz Cream Cheese, softened
2 Large Eggs
1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
1/4 cup Unsalted Butter, melted
3 cups Powdered Sugar

How to Make

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 F and grease a 9×13-inch baking pan. In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten free 1-to-1 baking flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the melted butter, egg, and vanilla extract and stir until a thick dough forms. Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.

Step 2

For the gooey layer, beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Mix in the vanilla extract and melted butter.

Step 3

Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time, beating on low speed until fully incorporated. The mixture should be smooth and pourable.

Step 4

Pour the gooey layer evenly over the cake base. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the top is light golden and the edges are set, but the center still has a slight jiggle. The center should look slightly underdone as it will set as it cools.

Step 5

Let cool completely in the pan. The center will sink slightly and become irresistibly gooey. Dust generously with extra powdered sugar, slice into squares, and serve.

Helpful Tips

Make Sure the Cream Cheese Is Actually Soft

Don’t rush this step. The cream cheese needs to sit out on the counter for at least 30 to 45 minutes before you use it. You should be able to press your finger into it easily with no resistance at all.

If the cream cheese is still cold or firm in the middle, you’ll end up with lumps in your gooey layer that won’t mix out no matter how long you beat it. Those lumps will show up in the final cake and mess with the smooth, creamy texture you want.

If you forgot to take it out ahead of time, cut it into small cubes and let them sit for about 15 minutes. That speeds things up without needing the microwave, which can partially melt it and make it greasy.

Press the Cake Base Evenly

The dough for the base is thick and sticky, so use damp fingers or the back of a measuring cup to press it flat across the entire bottom of the pan. Pay extra attention to the corners and edges because that’s where it tends to be thinner.

If the base is uneven, the thinner spots will overbake and get hard while the thicker spots stay underdone. You want a consistent layer so the whole cake bakes at the same rate and you get that perfect contrast between the firm base and the gooey top.

Add the Powdered Sugar Slowly

Don’t dump all three cups of powdered sugar in at once. Add it one cup at a time on low speed like the recipe says, and let each cup fully mix in before adding the next. If you add it all at once, it’ll puff up into a cloud all over your kitchen and the mixture won’t come together smoothly.

Keeping the mixer on low is important here. High speed will send powdered sugar flying and can also overwork the batter, making it less smooth. Once it’s all incorporated, it should look like a thick, pourable mixture with no dry pockets of sugar left.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know when the cake is done if the center is supposed to jiggle?

This is the trickiest part of making gooey butter cake. You want the edges to be set and lightly golden, but the center should still wobble a bit when you gently shake the pan – think of it like a soft jiggle, not a liquid wave.

If the center looks completely set and firm, it’s overbaked and won’t have that signature gooey texture. Trust the process and pull it out even if it looks underdone. It firms up a lot as it cools.