I’m going to start off by saying I would never wish my child to be sick. Ever. But his sick day yesterday afforded us an opportunity to create special memories that we don’t often have the chance to. It might seem simple to some, but to me, there are few moments that compare to our quiet time yesterday. From the 45 minutes or so we spent swinging in the hammock just chatting or the hour we spent laying on the couch with his head in my lap in absolute silence, it’s easy to overlook these moments as random or normal. You know, that happens a lot though. Sometimes we get so caught up in the negative of life, that we become blinded to the fact that there usually IS a silver lining to those dark clouds. Again, I would never wish my child to be sick ever and I would give up those moments forever if I knew that he would never have another sick day again, but the sweet moments with him yesterday will be with me long after he’s gone and spending sick days with his own little boy. So, while I hate he was sick, I’m grateful for the time we got to spend together. Do me a favor and don’t get so caught up in the negative that you miss out on the little blessings life has to offer.
My mom has been making ooey gooey butter cake since I was a kid. As soon as that thing would come out of the oven, I would be anxiously waiting for it to cool enough to slice. This is one of those nostalgic recipes that just takes me back. It’s great with a yellow cake mix, even lemon, but this red velvet version is one of my favorites. I just know you’ll enjoy all the ooey-gooeyness it has to offer. 🙂 
Recipe Card
Red Velvet Gooey Butter Cake
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 (15.25-ounce) box red velvet cake mix
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick, melted)
- 1 egg
For the filling:
- 1 (8-ounce) block cream cheese, softened
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick, melted)
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly spray a 13x9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, stir the cake mix, melted butter, and egg together to make the crust. Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the pan.
- In a another large bowl, use a mixer to beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the eggs and mix well. Add the butter and mix well. Gradually add the powdered sugar and mix until combined. Mix in the vanilla. Pour the filling mixture over the crust.
- Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until the edges are just firm but the middle is still jiggly. Cool completely before slicing into squares.
* If nutritional values are provided, they are an estimate and will vary depending on the brands used. The values do not include optional ingredients or when ingredients are added to taste. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, I recommend grabbing your favorite brands and plugging those ingredients into an online nutritional calculator.
Samantha A Cherry
What would happen if you used salted butter?
Not much different. It’s fine in this case.
Linda Stephens
Amanda I added chocolate chips to crust and filling.. Very good !
Judy
How do I store this cake we are having our celebration in five days .when would you suggest when is the earliest I could make it and it still be good .
This is best within 2 or 3 days. It’s best stored in the fridge and then allowed to come to room temp before serving.
Linda
My cake fell in the middle with cake high on the edges. I baked 45 minutes.
Not seeing it I can’t say for sure, but that’s pretty much what’s supposed to happen. It’s sort of hard to see since it’s in the background, but the top picture has the entire cake in the background and you can see that the edges are taller than the center.
Jan
I made these according to the directions and pressed toasted pecans into the red velvet layer then poured on the cream cheese filling and baked according to the directions. They were delish!
Sounds great!!
Tina
Absolutely delicious 💕
Thanks, Tina!
Carolyn
If I don’t want the whole 13×9 pan all at one time, have you ever taken part of the cake and frozen it to eat later?
I have not done it personally, but have had other readers tell me it freezes perfectly.
rose
I have about 10 boxes of cake mix in my pantry, except red velvet. Would any flavor of cake mix work for this recipe?
Yep. Any cake mix should work. Enjoy!
Amanda
This is one of my FAVORITE recipes. Its my third time making it. Im going to make several of them to take to different Christmas get togethers. I also mixed in PECANS to add a little more flavor to the cream cheese mixer and it turned out really GOOD!!! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe .
So glad to hear you’ve gotten some great use out of this one! Merry Christmas, Amanda!!
Linda Stephens
Amanda I added chocolate chips to crust and filling.. Very good !
AKM
I think I want to add green food coloring to the cream-cheese layer and make it for Christmas. How festive would that look?!
I think it would certainly be festive! Should work just fine.
Ellie
Hello Stacy! Question, do you have any alternative recipe/ ingredients if ever I don’t have the cake mix for the crust? Like flour and all?
Hi Ellie! Unfortunately, I don’t.
Michele Byrd
Hi Stacey,
I just came across your recipe for my daughter’s 18th birthday. She loves red velvet anything so this seemed like a great option.
Confession – I didn’t actually make it – my mom did but it came out super sweet. Could I reduce the amount of powdered sugar in the filling? Also, I read in many comments about not having butter in the filling but in the ingredients list there is butter for the cake and for the filling so that confused me a little. Should there not be butter in the filling?
It was pretty amazing though and I def want to make it again! Thanks! I hope this finds you well!
Hi Michele! Yes, you can reduce the powdered sugar a bit in the filling part. You could probably go as low as about 2 cups, but it’s certainly going to change the recipe. When it comes to that other butter, I’m not sure where all the confusion came in. There is butter in both the cake part and the filling part.
STEPHANIE M MARSHALL
Very Impressed!
Cattle workin’ Saturday and as always the guys come in for lunch… It was a late night prior so I wasn’t in the mood to bake a pie or anything that took longer than 10 minutes… lol So, I saw I had a box of red velvet cake mix…. So I googled ideas and came across your post. I thought, red velvet, butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar… Hmmmmm… CAN NOT GO WRONG WITH THOSE! haha! So I threw it together. Let it cool, cut it with a plastic fork (because I do that with brownies so they won’t stick and tear) and served them with lunch to the men… Let’s just say, the guys got seconds and mentioned that they are very good! 🙂 WINNER! So, this will definitely be a go to recipe for a quick and yummy treat! P.S. I made this exactly how you had it written, no changes. 🙂
Awesome! So glad everyone enjoyed it, Stephanie!
Dee Watson
Quick question. Other gooey butter cakes call for a stick of butter added to the cream cheese filling mixture. This recipe did not. Just making sure that I didn’t need to add butter to the filling.
Thanks,
Dee
Danielle
Tangos recipe is a huge hit at my house…especially with my husband. How do you prevent the cake from bubbling up through the cream cheese layer? I’ve made this recipe at least 4 times and each time this happens. Any suggestions?
I’m not sure I’ve ever seen mine do that… let me think on it. 🙂
LG
I have made these many times.
I have found that if you press the crust really tight into the pan it is not loose enough to rise up. I do line my pan with non stick foil also and then PRESS really hard. Hope this helps.
Thanks for the tip, LG!
Myra Lanclos
How do I prevent the gooey cake from sticking to the knife when cutting into square pieces? Is there a method to prevent this from happening.
I wish I could say yes, but I’m not aware of one.
Judy
Try using a non-metal knife or a plastic cutting utensil.
Great tip!
michelle
I just made this and its good, i followed the cake instructions on the box though, so instead of 1 egg n butter i added 2 eggs, butter, water n oil.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Veronica
Like your recipes.
Thanks!
Erika Mags
These look delicious! I was just wondering, could this recipe be made in a cupcake pan as opposed to a 9×13″ pan? I personally like the “crisp” edges of oogey bars, so I was thinking, why not try put it in a cupcake pan? Please let me know your opinion. 🙂
I don’t see what not. You’ll just have to watch and adjust the cooking time. Enjoy!
Amy
Shouldn’t the topping have butter in it too? The gooey butter cake i make uses a stick of vier with the cake mix, then a stick of butter with powder sugar and eggs and vanilla and whatnot. I just really want it to taste like gooey butter cake with a red velvet crust. Is that how this tastes?
Amy
And……I just read the ladies comment above me. I’m such a dingbat lol
No problem, Amy! Never hesitate to ask questions.
Amy L Hunter
I have never put a second stick of butter in the top half. Never. I’m afraid to try it. My mommas tried and true recipe only has the stick of butter in the crust layer.
Ha! You don’t have to. I don’t always include it, but do in this recipe. I know it might seem like it (I question it myself sometimes, too), but I’m not just a crazy person throwing out recipes. I’ve been doing this for nearly 14 years now. 🤣
Chris
Does it make any difference if you make this in a glass dish or metal? Have read all the reviews and don’t see this addressed anywhere. Thanks!
No, the cooking time may change slightly, so just watch them carefully.
Judz
Hi I am about to bake the gooey butter cake with both the red velvet and the yellow cake mix. I read earlier where you say it is sweet. Could I reduce the sugar so as not to have it so sweet? Am using betty crocker cake mix but I find that the weight is less than 15.25 oz. what do I do?
It is a dessert so it is sweet. I would not reduce the sugar for fear of changing the flavor and chemistry. That boxed mix should work fine. They all have different weights now.
Jana
I just made this for Thanksgiving tomorrow and am not sure how to store it overnight. Do I leave out on the counter at room temperature or put it in the refrigerator? Thanks…can’t wait to try it tomorrow!
It’s fine to leave it on the counter.
Carol
Thank u!!:for posting yummy recipes & stories too very nice!!
jean
Sounds good, but boxed cakes have too many preservatives and added stuff we do no need, that I would like to make this with scratch cake. Any ideas on how to convert this?
Nope. My recipe was developed using the cake mix.
Janice Gill
Hi Stacy,
I will be making the Red Velvet Gooey cake soon….just wanted you to know I enjoyed your story today. Also pls be assured your son will remember these days all his life, I remember quiet moments shared with my Mother from my childhood and that’s what keeps me going on many days.
Thanks, Janice!
Mike
The Red Velvet cake mix I located was 22 oz. (Pillsbury) Would you reduce the volume to 15.25 oz. and proceed as above or use the entire box?
You probably ended up with a box of their “Supreme Collection” that has the cream cheese icing in the box and has a bunt shaped cake on the front. I’m not sure if the additional weight on the box is due to that filling mixture in there or if the cake mix is actually that amount. I’d just be sure to reduce the cake mix to about 15.25 ounces if you have a scale just to be sure.
Jen
Hi, This cake sounds like it will be the winner for my sons birthday cake! Best of 2 things he loves red velvet and cheese cake. Im assuming the topping is kinda like cheese cake? I was also wondering if u think doubling the recipe and putting it in a half sheet pan would work? Thanx Jen
I’ve never doubled it. I would be afraid that the edges might get too dry by the time the middle sets. When it comes to the top layers, I’d say it’s something that is close to cheesecake, but a bit more sticky and sweet.
Kay
Mmmmmm so delicious 🙂 glad this was my first butter cake
Wonderful!
Genie
I absolutely loved this recipe. I cooked it on Wednesday for my boys to make sure it would turn out alright for Sunday dinner at church. Everyone loved it. It was quick and easy to make. Thanks so much.
So glad y’all enjoyed it!!
Karen Downs
Love the story and it is so true. Time goes by so fast. My youngest just left for college and though I am excited for him, I wanted to hang on to him for just a bit longer. Love you blog.
Thanks, Karen!
FoodNerd
These look great! Would be perfect for my Virtual Bake Sale for Macmillan Cancer Support- check it out here https://www.foodnerd4life.com/virtual-bake-sale-2014/
FoodNerd x
🙂
Monica Whelan
Hi. I love this site. But how do l get the recepie for this cake. Here in Norway we dont sell many of the ready made cake mixes. I would love to try it.
Monica:)
Memphis Eats
I love reading a great story to go along with a great dish. Gooey butter cake is the best, awesome to see it paired with red velvet!
Thanks!!
Sigi G
Loved the story – I never really thought of it that way, but you are right about the silver lining. Thank you for the recipe – can’t wait to try it!
Thanks, Sigi! Enjoy!
Nana
Those look terrific_ I plan to make them this weekend for a work crew that is working on my house. Unfortunately during your little one’s first year of school, he will probably have more colds and childhood illnesses that he is used to. It is just a new exposure to more children and more diseases. The immune system will strengthen though and the bouts of illness become less frequent. It is all part of leaving his sheltered babyhood and heading into childhood. He is blessed to have parents who care for him well.
He was in preschool prior to this so he’s built up some immunity, there’s just many more children in kindergarten than there were in his preschool. He’s doing much better now. Thanks!
Elizabeth (Liz) Jackson
Hi Stacy,love,love your recipes and love hearing about your family.I will make this as soon as I can we love butter anything. Thanks and God bless.
Thanks, Liz!
SC Susie
Love the story and recipe too! With two teenagers, I find myself at that odd place of seeing my little birds fly and sometimes wanting to keep the little birds in my nest. I know the exact special moments you are talking about when you just parent-child bond. They are sweeter than honey!
Yes they are!
The Better Baker
YOWZA! Great recipe! Awesome post too.
Thanks, Marsha!!
Cas
Hi there!
I have a potentially silly question. When you say use a cake mix, do you follow the instructions on the box and mix those ingredients as well as the butter and egg, or disregard the ingredients on the box and only add the butter and egg to the powder mix? Thanks so much I am about to try making these now!
Ignore the box directions completely. 🙂 Enjoy!
Cas
Awesome. That’s what I thought! Thanks for getting back so quickly. Can’t wait to try 🙂
Amanda
This is one of my FAVORITE recipes. Its my third time making it. Im going to make several of them to take to different Christmas get togethers. I also mixed in PECANS to add a little more flavor to the cream cheese mixer and it turned out really GOOD!!! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe .