Recipe: Toffee Gooey Butter Cake

What would the holiday season be without a new Gooey Butter Cake recipe?  I love making Gooey Butter Cake...  all kinds... they're quick, they're easy... they're easy to tote.... they're sweet and rich... a little goes a long way... and it seems everyone loves them.

I think I like this version of Gooey Butter Cake even better than the original... it's sinfully good!

No lie... this is rich and almost overly sweet... almost...  so cut the pieces small...  a great holiday treat!

TIPS

This recipe calls for an 18.25 oz yellow cake mix... I used an 18.5 size cake mix by accident and my crust seemed to explode into a huge wide edge... turns out while it didn't look as perfect as I expected...  it was hands down the favorite (I ended up making 2 for a party)... everyone loves .. I mean... loves the crust.  So if for some reason yours doesn't come out picture perfect...  have no fear... just cut it up into small servings and serve it... people love it anyway.

You can use either the plain almond toffee bits or the chocolate toffee bits.. either work well.

If you forget to soften the cream cheese... click here for instructions How to Soften Cream Cheese quickly.

The recipe calls for 1 box (16 oz.) confectioner's sugar... if you buy you powdered sugar in bulk.. you will need to measure it...  don't assume 1 cup of confectioner's sugar equals 8 ounces because it doesn't.  Dry measures can vary ... it is based on weight and in the case of confectioner's sugar is light weight.   16 ounces or 1 pound of confectioner's sugar equals  slightly under 4 cups... I would measure 3 full cups and then measure the 4th cup just slightly less than full.   It will be fine for this recipe.

Don't over-bake this.. mine took only just over 40 minutes... It may not look fully baked but it is... that's the gooey part. 

Recipe:  Toffee Gooey Butter Cake

All you need:
 

For the Crust:

1 box (18.25 oz.) Duncan Hines Yellow Cake Mix

1 large egg
 

For the Filling:

1 stick butter (1/2 cup) sweet butter, melted

1 pkg. (8 oz.) Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 box (16 oz.) confectioner's sugar *See TIPS

1 stick butter (1/2 cup) sweet butter, melted

1 cup toffee bits *See TIPS

Butter flavor cooking oil spray

All you need to do:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Lightly spray a 9 x 13 baking pan or dish with butter flavored cooking oil spray.  ( I used my 9 x 13 clear glass baking dish).

In a large mixing bowl (from a standing mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat the crust ingredients (cake mix, 1 egg and 1 stick butter, melted) until well mixed.   Lightly press the dough evenly into the prepared pan.

Using the standing mixer, still fitted with the paddle attachment (clean off any remaining crust bits), beat the cream cheese until smooth.  Add the eggs and vanilla and continue beating until all little lumps are gone and it's smooth.   Add the confectioner's sugar about a cup at a time and beat well.  (Adding a little at a time prevents a major mess...trust me).  Slowly pour in the melted butter and mix well.

Fold in the toffee bits.  Spread the batter evenly over the crust mixture in the baking pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes... mine took about 43 minutes... the center should still be a little gooey.

Cool completely.  Cut into small squares.  Refrigerate any leftovers.  When serving the leftovers, allow to stand at room temperature for about 10 minutes before serving.