Ooey Gooey butter cake is a popular St. Louis specialty dessert with a rich, gooey texture and sweet flavor. The exact origins of the cake are unclear, but it became popular in the 1980s and is now considered a classic St. Louis treat. So who makes this delicious cake that’s a local icon?
The History of Ooey Gooey Butter Cake
While the origins of Ooey Gooey butter cake are uncertain, most accounts point to the cake being invented in St. Louis in the early 1980s. According to legend, a St. Louis baker accidentally reversed the proportions of butter and flour in a cake recipe, resulting in a gooey, ultra-rich cake that became a hit. The cake was soon being sold across St. Louis bakeries and restaurants.
One of the first known published recipes for Ooey Gooey butter cake appeared in a 1982 edition of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. This early recipe called for one stick of butter, one box of powdered sugar, and one egg mixed with a box cake mix to create the signature gooey texture.
In the 1980s, St. Louis baker Rich Hempel claimed to have invented Ooey Gooey butter cake. As the story goes, Hempel was trying to make a cake using a boxed cake mix but was out of eggs. He improvised by using extra butter and cream cheese, inadvertently creating a sweet, dense cake that became popular with customers. Other bakers sold similar cakes at the time, but Hempel is often credited with coining the name “Ooey Gooey.”
Paula Haney and the Rise of Ooey Gooey
While many bakers sold Ooey Gooey butter cake in the early 1980s, one of the most pivotal figures in popularizing the dessert was Paula Haney. Haney first encountered the cake while working at a St. Louis restaurant. She began selling her own version of Ooey Gooey butter cake at local farmer’s markets and shops. As demand grew, Haney and her husband Tony opened a bakery in 1993 specifically for their famous Ooey Gooey cake.
Through Paula Haney’s bakery and promotion of the cake, Ooey Gooeybutter cake rose from humble Midwestern origins to nationwide fame. The rich, indulgent cake was featured on national cooking shows and websites. Haney published a cookbook sharing her recipe and tips. She shipped her cakes across the country, spreading the word about St. Louis’ specialty dessert. Today, Paula Haney’s bakery continues to bake and ship Ooey Gooey cakes across America.
Other Significant Bakeries
While Paula Haney’s bakery and recipe is most closely associated with Ooey Gooey cake, other St. Louis bakeries played a key role in making the cake a local icon. Park Avenue Coffee, known for their thick, gooey version was one of the first shops selling Ooey Gooey in the 1980s. Ted Drewes Frozen Custard, a beloved St. Louis frozen custard stand, started serving the cake and added to its popularity. Many other local bakeries offer their take on Ooey Gooey butter cake.
Outside of St. Louis, bakeries like Sweetology in California and All She Wrote Treats in Washington D.C. now sell their own versions of the cake nationwide online. The dessert has clearly gone well beyond its humble Midwestern beginnings.
What Makes Ooey Gooey Butter Cake Special?
There are a few key factors that distinguish Ooey Gooey butter cake from regular cake and make it a St. Louis icon:
- Extra butter – Ooey Gooey cakes contain an unusually large amount of butter, often over a cup per cake. This gives them an incredibly rich, decadent texture.
- Sweet filling – Most recipes include cream cheese or another sweet filling in addition to the cake batter. This adds more richness and a distinctive gooey middle layer.
- Dense and moist – The cakes are dense and moist thanks to all the butter, lacking the airy crumb of traditional cakes.
- Flat shape – Ooey Gooey cakes are baked in a flat sheet pan or shallow pan rather than a round cake pan.
- Simple ingredients – While rich, Ooey Gooey cakes don’t rely on complex ingredients. It’s the magic ratio of butter, sugar, and flour that makes them special.
Unique Taste and Texture
It’s the combination of buttery, dense cake and sweet cream cheese filling that creates the distinctive soft, gooey texture the cake is named after. Each bite often oozes with filling. The taste is equally rich and indulgent. Ooey Gooey cakes satisfy any sweet tooth thanks to their ultra-buttery nature.
How Is Ooey Gooey Butter Cake Made?
While recipes can vary slightly, there are some key steps that go into making the perfect Ooey Gooey butter cake:
- Cream the butter and sugar: Ooey Gooey cakes start with creaming at least a cup of unsalted butter with 1-2 cups of powdered sugar. This creates a light, fluffy base.
- Add eggs and mix: Eggs (often 3-4 eggs) get beaten in one at a time to the butter and sugar, fully incorporating each time.
- Mix in cake mix: A box yellow or white cake mix is added to the wet ingredients to form the batter.
- Pour half the batter: Half the thick, rich batter is poured and patted into a greased baking pan.
- Add the filling: Next, a cream cheese filling is spread evenly over the batter. Common fillings include a blend of cream cheese, sugar, and eggs.
- Top with remaining batter: The remaining cake batter is poured over the filling layer and smoothed evenly.
- Bake and cool: The cake bakes at around 350°F for 30-45 minutes until set in the middle. Then it cools completely before cutting.
- Cut into squares: Once cool, the cake is cut into squares to serve.
Important Baking Tips
There are some important tips to ensure Ooey Gooey butter cake turns out perfect:
- Allow ingredients to reach room temperature for the best texture.
- Don’t skimp on the butter – it provides moisture and flavor.
- Mix the batter well to fully incorporate air and eggs.
- Spread filling evenly into corners and edges of pan.
- Bake until the center is just set to prevent drying out.
- Cool cake completely before cutting for neat slices that hold together.
Common Variations
While the traditional Ooey Gooey cake has a simple yellow cake base with cream cheese filling, bakers have created many delicious variations over the years by switching up flavors. Some popular Ooey Gooey butter cake variations include:
- Chocolate Ooey Gooey: Uses chocolate cake mix and chocolate cream cheese filling.
- Pumpkin Ooey Gooey: Swaps pumpkin spice cake mix and pumpkin pie filling.
- Berry Ooey Gooey:Uses white cake mix with mixed berry filling.
- Toffee Ooey Gooey: Features butterscotch or toffee pie filling and toffee bits inside.
- Turtle Ooey Gooey: Filled with caramel, chocolate chips, and chopped pecans.
The basic Ooey Gooey formula lends itself well to customizing with different cake flavors, fillings, and mix-ins to satisfy any taste.
Where Can You Find Ooey Gooey Butter Cake?
Here are some of the best places to find authentic Ooey Gooey butter cake in St. Louis and beyond:
St. Louis Bakeries
- Paula Haney’s Ooey Gooey Bakery – three locations in St. Louis area and nationwide shipping
- Park Avenue Coffee – the original Ooey Gooey bakery, various locations
- Miss Aimee B’s Cake Shoppe – popular bakery with Ooey Gooey cake and classes
- Sweet Divine – bakery in St. Louis metro area selling Ooey Gooey cakes
- Whisk Bakery – from the Whisk Food Group, various St. Louis locations
St. Louis Restaurants and Shops
- Ted Drewes Frozen Custard – iconic frozen custard shop, flagship on Chippewa Street
- The Cupcakery – cute cupcake shop offering miniature Ooey Gooey cupcakes
- Russell’s on Macklind – local restaurant with Ooey Gooey butter cake on the menu
- Pint Size Bakery – popular bakery with Ooey Gooey cake available
- Como Bakehouse – neighborhood bakery and cafe featuring the cake
Online and Nationwide Shipping
- Paula Haney’s online shop – order Ooey Gooey cakes shipped cold nationwide from the original bakery
- Foodgifts.com – gift baskets featuring Paula Haney’s Ooey Gooey cake
- All She Wrote Treats – Washington D.C. bakery shipping Ooey Gooey cakes
- Sweetology – bakery in California shipping their version of Ooey Gooey nationwide
The iconic cake has expanded far beyond its St. Louis roots, but visiting one of the original local bakeries offers the true experience.
Nutrition Facts for Ooey Gooey Butter Cake
Ooey Gooey butter cakes live up to their name – they are certainly ooey and gooey, but also rich and indulgent. Here are the nutrition facts for a typical serving:
| Serving size | 1 slice (1/12 cake) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 340 |
| Fat | 24g |
| Saturated fat | 15g |
| Cholesterol | 115mg |
| Sodium | 320mg |
| Carbohydrates | 31g |
| Fiber | 0g |
| Sugar | 24g |
As you can see, each slice of Ooey Gooey butter cake contains about 340 calories and 24 grams of fat, along with 31 grams of carbs. The large amount of butter leads to high saturated fat. The cake also has 24 grams of sugar per slice and minimal fiber or protein. So this dessert is definitely more of an occasional indulgence!
Making Healthier Ooey Gooey Butter Cakes
There are some simple substitutions you can make to lighten up the standard Ooey Gooey butter cake recipe:
- Use reduced-fat cream cheese in the filling.
- Replace half the butter with unsweetened applesauce.
- Use low-sugar cake mix and reduced sugar in the filling.
- Substitute whole eggs for 2 egg whites to cut cholesterol.
- Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract to enhance flavor without more sugar.
While Ooey Gooey cakes will never be considered a health food, these adjustments can make the indulgent treat a bit more balanced. But most fans will agree that every buttery, gooey bite is worth it!
The Popularity and Legacy of Ooey Gooey Butter Cake
Over four decades after its invention, Ooey Gooey butter cake remains a St. Louis institution and claim to fame around the country. The cake’s popularity stems from its distinctly gooey, ultra-rich taste that you can only find in St. Louis.
Ooey Gooey cakes have become a signature item that locals bring for guests or send to homesick St. Louis expatriates. Tourists flock to destinations like Ted Drewes frozen custard for a taste of the famous cake. The dessert appears everywhere from local bakeries to restaurants and special events.
The original Ooey Gooey butter cake has also inspired creative twists and variants using different flavors. Yet most fans still crave the classic version with yellow cake, creamy cream cheese filling, and plenty of butter. A bite of true Ooey Gooey instantly evokes the unique food culture of St. Louis.
Today, dedicated local bakeries like Paula Haney’s continue to ship the treats across the country, sharing a piece of St. Louis with the world. The cake has become part of the city’s identity, joining staples like gooey butter cake, toasted ravioli, and pork steaks in representing the tastes of St. Louis.
An Iconic Dessert
While its origins may be uncertain, Ooey Gooey butter cake has undoubtedly become an iconic dessert associated with the city of St. Louis. The serendipitous discovery of the perfect balance of creamy, buttery cake and sweet filling created a now-classic Midwest treat. Locals and tourists alike confirm that Ooey Gooey cake is one St. Louis original that lives up to the hype.
Conclusion
Ooey Gooey butter cake is a unique culinary creation that originated in the kitchens of St. Louis. Its signature gooey texture comes from generous amounts of butter mixed with a cake batter and filling. Though many bakeries and bakers have stake in creating the cake, Paula Haney helped popularize the dessert starting in the 1990s. Today, Ooey Gooey butter cake remains a favorite local specialty that has also gained fame nationwide as an iconic St. Louis original. Though immensely rich and sweet, the cake provides a truly irresistible and decadent treat that showcases the classic flavors of the city.