Gooey butter cake is a type of coffee cake that originated in St. Louis, Missouri. It consists of a layer of sweet yeast dough topped with a gooey, sticky filling made from cream cheese, powdered sugar, and eggs. While gooey butter cake is strongly associated with St. Louis and is considered a local specialty, it has spread beyond Missouri and can be found in bakeries around the country.
The History of Gooey Butter Cake
Gooey butter cake first emerged in the 1930s in St. Louis. The exact origins are unclear, but several bakeries in St. Louis claim to have invented the cake. One story credits a German-Hungarian bakery named Glaser’s Bake Shop as developing the gooey butter cake recipe. Another tale points to a John Hoffman, a St. Louis baker who allegedly came up with the cake by mistake when he reversed the proportions of flour and sugar in a cake recipe.
While the initial creator is uncertain, the cake quickly became popular in St. Louis in the 1930s and 40s. Bakers around the city began producing their own versions, making small tweaks to the recipe. The gooey butter cake was a hit locally in St. Louis and soon became a signature dish of the city’s cuisine and bakeries.
For much of the 20th century, gooey butter cake remained mostly localized to St. Louis and the surrounding area. Few people outside of Missouri knew about the sweet, sticky cake. But over time, the cake has spread beyond St. Louis as people from the city brought the recipe to other parts of the country. Today, while it’s still most popular in St. Louis, gooey butter cake can be found in bakeries nationwide.
What Makes Gooey Butter Cake Distinctive
Gooey butter cake sets itself apart from other cakes thanks to its soft, melt-in-your mouth texture and rich flavor. The base of the cake has a vanilla and egg flavored yeast dough that gives the cake a distinct taste. But it’s the gooey filling made with cream cheese, sugar, and eggs that really makes the cake distinctive.
This filling has a texture ranging from dense and fudgy to sweet and creamy. It provides a sharp contrast to the cakey base layer underneath. The filling is so soft and buttery that it nearly melts when you eat it. The sugar and cream cheese ensure the cake is decadently rich and yes, gooey.
Another signature aspect of gooey butter cake is its presentation. Most bakeries serve it in small, square pieces dusted with powdered sugar. This shows off the cake’s layers and soft textures. The powdered sugar adds a touch of sweetness while also absorbing some of the moisture from the sticky filling.
Unique Qualities of St. Louis Style Gooey Butter Cake
While gooey butter cake has spread beyond Missouri, the original St. Louis version remains the gold standard. Some key qualities of authentic St. Louis style gooey butter cake include:
- A dense, sweet yeast dough as the base layer
- A filling made from cream cheese, eggs, and powdered sugar
- A nearly equal ratio of filling to cake base
- A moist, sticky, rich texture
- Served in small squares lightly coated in powdered sugar
Versions of gooey butter cake from outside of St. Louis sometimes have minor tweaks to the classic recipe. The filling may use butter instead of cream cheese or the dough could be different. But in St. Louis, bakeries stick close to the original recipe that made the cake famous.
Popularity and Availability Outside Missouri
While gooey butter cake originated in Missouri, you can now find versions of the cake across the U.S. Here are some places where gooey butter cake is popular:
- Chicago – Many St. Louis transplants live in Chicago and have brought gooey butter cake recipes with them. Bakeries like Sweet Mandy B’s and Sugar Hills sell the cake.
- Las Vegas – Las Vegas has several bakeries selling gooey butter cake, including Freed’s Bakery, Pastry1, and Esther’s Kitchen.
- New York – In New York City, you can get gooey butter cake at spots like The Cake Bake Shop and Ovenly.
- California – Bakeries in L.A. and San Francisco offer their own versions of gooey butter cake, including Sweet Lady Jane and Noe Valley Bakery.
- Texas – The Kolache Factory, based in Texas, serves a gooey butter cake kolache that it calls the St. Louis Kolache as a nod to the cake’s origins.
The cake can also be found in grocery store freezer sections around the country. Major brands like Sara Lee sell pre-made gooey butter cake nationwide.
Where to Find the Best Gooey Butter Cake in St. Louis
While you can find gooey butter cake beyond Missouri, the best versions remain in St. Louis. Here are some top places in St. Louis to try authentic gooey butter cake:
- Park Avenue Coffee – This bakery and cafe is considered the gold standard for gooey butter cake in St. Louis. Their version has perfect layers and textures.
- Missouri Baking Company – They offer classic plain gooey butter cake as well as flavors like chocolate, raspberry, and caramel.
- Russell’s on Macklind – This neighborhood bakery is known for its picture-perfect square slices of gooey butter cake.
- La Bonne Bouchee – This bakery offers mini individual-sized gooey butter cakes so everyone can have their own.
- Como Bakehouse – This newly opened spot already has rave reviews for its gooey butter cake recipe.
For an authentic, fresh-baked gooey butter cake in St. Louis, you can’t go wrong with any of these local favorites.
How to Order and Ship Gooey Butter Cake
If you can’t make it to St. Louis, you can still enjoy gooey butter cake by ordering it online. Some options include:
- Order from a St. Louis bakery website – Many places like Missouri Baking Company or Russell’s ship gooey butter cakes nationwide.
- Goldbelly – This site lets you order from famous eateries and bakeries, including Park Avenue Coffee’s gooey butter cake.
- Amazon – You can get pre-made gooey butter cake shipped from brands like Sara Lee.
- Make a DIY kit – Companies like Make St. Louis Cake offer kits with pre-mixed ingredients to bake your own.
The cakes are carefully packaged to avoid damage during shipping. However, they are still perishable so order only 1-2 days before needing it.
How to Make Gooey Butter Cake at Home
While it’s best to enjoy gooey butter cake fresh from a St. Louis bakery, you can also bake your own at home anywhere. Here is a recipe and guide to making classic gooey butter cake:
Ingredients
- For the yeast dough base:
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 1/4 teaspoons rapid rise yeast
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened and cut into pieces
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- For the gooey butter filling:
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- For finish:
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Steps
- Make the dough base. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, yeast, butter, milk, egg yolk, and salt. Mix until a soft dough forms. Cover and let rise for 1 hour.
- Make the filling. In another bowl, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, egg, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Set aside.
- Press the risen dough into an 8×8 inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. Spread the filling evenly over the dough.
- Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes until the top is lightly browned. Let cool for at least 30 minutes.
- Dust the top generously with powdered sugar before cutting into small squares.
Store leftover gooey butter cake covered at room temperature for 2-3 days.
The Best Desserts in St. Louis Beyond Gooey Butter Cake
While it’s the most iconic, gooey butter cake is not the only amazing dessert from St. Louis. Here are some other sweet treats popular in St. Louis:
- Ted Drewes Frozen Custard – This beloved custard stand is known for its thick, rich frozen custard blended into concretes and sundaes.
- Crown Candy Kitchen Malts – This historic diner makes old-fashioned malts and shakes with scoops of their handmade ice cream.
- Angel Food Cake – Missouri is one of the top consumers of angel food cake, especially at holidays and events.
- Sliced Bagels – Also called St. Louis toasted ravioli, these bagel chips are a local specialty appetizer.
- Schlafly Beer – This popular local craft brewery makes beers that pair perfectly with St. Louis’ hearty comfort foods.
St. Louis has a distinctive culinary history with many recipes you won’t find elsewhere. Visiting is the best way to taste these foods at their source.
Conclusion
Gooey butter cake was created in the 1930s in St. Louis, Missouri and remains a cherished local specialty dessert. While the exact origin is uncertain, gooey butter cake quickly became popular around St. Louis due to its irresistible taste and texture. Authentic St. Louis style gooey butter cake has a dense yeast dough base topped with a rich cream cheese filling. While the cake has spread beyond Missouri, the best versions featuring that memorable gooeyness remain in St. Louis bakeries. St. Louis natives now living elsewhere have brought the recipe around the country, but the cake remains an iconic Missouri treat.