If you have never tried gooey butter cake before, you are in for a real treat. It has a soft cake base on the bottom and a sweet, creamy layer on top.
Traditional versions of this dessert rely heavily on eggs to get that texture, but I made this eggless gooey butter cake completely egg free.
It is perfect for anyone with an egg allergy, or for anyone who simply wants to bake something sweet without running to the store for eggs.
You do not need any special baking skills or complicated steps to put this together.
Once it cools down, you get the most delicious slice with a rich, soft center that everyone will love.
Why You’ll Love It
Perfectly Gooey Center – The gently set middle stays rich, soft, and irresistibly gooey while the edges turn beautifully golden.
Rich Creamy Flavor – Cream cheese, sour cream, butter, and vanilla create a smooth filling with balanced sweetness and gentle tang.
Wonderful Texture Contrast – The tender cake base gives every bite a satisfying contrast against the creamy topping.
Simple Ingredients – Everyday baking ingredients come together to create a dessert that tastes far more special than expected.
Ingredient List
For the Cake Base
- 1 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/4 tsp Fine Salt
- 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, Melted
- 1/4 cup Whole Milk
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
For the Gooey Layer
- 8 oz Cream Cheese, Softened
- 2 cups Powdered Sugar
- 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, Melted
- 1/2 cup Sour Cream
- 3 tbsp Cornstarch
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1/4 tsp Fine Salt
- 2 tbsp Powdered Sugar, For Topping
Directions
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. Whisk the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl.
Step 2
Stir the melted butter, whole milk, and vanilla extract into the dry ingredients until a soft, thick dough forms. Press the dough evenly across the bottom of the prepared pan.
Step 3
Beat the cream cheese until completely smooth. Beat in the powdered sugar, melted butter, sour cream, cornstarch, vanilla extract, and salt until the filling is creamy and lump-free.
Step 4
Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the cake base, taking care not to mix the two layers together.
Step 5
Bake for 32 to 38 minutes, until the edges are golden and set but the center still has a gentle wobble. Do not bake until the center is completely firm or the signature gooey texture will be lost.
Step 6
Cool completely in the pan for at least 2 hours. Dust with the remaining powdered sugar before serving.
Tips
Use Softened Cream Cheese
Let the cream cheese sit at room temperature until it feels soft before making the filling. Cold cream cheese can leave small lumps that are difficult to smooth out once the other ingredients are added.
Beat the cream cheese by itself first, then add the powdered sugar and remaining ingredients. This gives the gooey layer a smooth, creamy texture.
Cool The Melted Butter
Let the melted butter cool for a few minutes before mixing it into either layer. It should still be liquid but not hot to the touch.
Hot butter can make the cake base greasy and may loosen the cream cheese mixture, making it harder to keep the layers separate.
Measure The Flour Carefully
Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off instead of scooping directly from the bag. Too much flour can make the base dry and firm instead of soft and tender.
The base should form a thick dough that presses easily into the pan. If it seems unusually stiff or crumbly, check the flour measurement before continuing.
Try These Next
- Eggless Brown Butter Blondies
- Eggless Buttery Pound Cake
- Eggless Chocolate Chess Pie
- Eggless Cinnamon Crumb Coffee Cake
- Eggless Classic Butter Tarts
Questions You Might Have
How do I know when the eggless gooey butter cake is done?
The edges should look golden and set, while the center should still have a gentle wobble when you lightly move the pan.
The center will continue to set as the cake cools, so taking it out when the middle is slightly soft helps keep the filling gooey.
Eggless Gooey Butter Cake
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. Whisk the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl.
- Stir the melted butter, whole milk, and vanilla extract into the dry ingredients until a soft, thick dough forms. Press the dough evenly across the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Beat the cream cheese until completely smooth. Beat in the powdered sugar, melted butter, sour cream, cornstarch, vanilla extract, and salt until the filling is creamy and lump-free.
- Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the cake base, taking care not to mix the two layers together.
- Bake for 32 to 38 minutes, until the edges are golden and set but the center still has a gentle wobble. Do not bake until the center is completely firm or the signature gooey texture will be lost.
- Cool completely in the pan for at least 2 hours. Dust with the remaining powdered sugar before serving.