Description
A luscious Lemon Gooey Butter Cake featuring a tangy lemon-flavored crust topped with a creamy, sweetened cream cheese layer. This easy-to-make dessert combines the bright zest and juice of lemon with a rich buttery base for a perfectly balanced treat that is ideal for gatherings and special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust
- 1 box lemon cake mix (15.25 oz)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 large egg
Filling
- 1 package cream cheese (8 oz), softened
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
Instructions
- Prepare the oven and pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish thoroughly to prevent sticking.
- Make the crust: In a medium bowl, combine the lemon cake mix, melted unsalted butter, and 1 large egg. Mix until a soft dough forms. Press this dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish to create the cake base.
- Mix the filling: In a large separate bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add the remaining 2 large eggs, vanilla extract, lemon zest, lemon juice, and powdered sugar. Continue beating until the mixture is light, well combined, and creamy.
- Assemble and bake: Pour the cream cheese mixture evenly over the prepared crust. Smooth out the top with a spatula. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the center is just slightly jiggly—avoid overbaking to maintain gooeyness.
- Cool and serve: Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool completely in the pan. Once cool, dust the top with additional powdered sugar before slicing into squares and serving.
Notes
- For an extra boost of lemon flavor, add a few drops of lemon extract to the cream cheese filling before baking.
- Leftover cake should be stored covered in the refrigerator and will keep fresh for up to 5 days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 square
- Calories: 390
- Sugar: 42g
- Sodium: 260mg
- Fat: 17g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 56g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 85mg
