Gooey Butter Cake In A Bag is a fun way to prepare a delicious dessert that has a cookie-like yellow cake crust with a lemony cream cheese filling. The caramelized top tastes good and looks good. Although the crust’s ingredients are combined in a zippered plastic bag, an electric mixer is required for the filling. If desired, use a bowl to mix the crust’s ingredients. This is a fun baking project for adults and children.
Ingredients are easy to combine in a large zippered bag (gallon size). 
The mixture forms into a very smooth texture that’s easy to press into the prepared baking dish. 
This “famous” dessert is also known as a Chess Cake that originated in St. Louis, Missouri during the 1930s. According to wikipedia.org, The St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission website has a recipe for the cake called, one of St. Louis’ popular, quirky foods. The cake is dusted with confectioner’s sugar before serving.
BAKING TIP I placed the baked dessert under the broiler to form a delicious caramelized crust. Also makes a pretty presentation.
Desserts made with cream cheese should be refrigerated to maintain fresh flavor.
ENJOY! EDITOR’S NOTE (June 15, 2020): Added one new photo. Updated text for clarity. DISCLAIMER: Not sponsored. I purchased pictured products and used them to make this delicious dessert.
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Gooey Butter Cake in a Bag Gooey Butter Cake in a Bag is a fun way to prepare a delicious dessert that has a cookie-like yellow cake crust with a lemony cream cheese filling. Fun baking project for adults and children. Recipe and photography by Beverly Davis for CornbreadMillionaire.com. Course: Dessert Cuisine: American Keyword: cake Prep Time: 30m Cook Time: 40m Total Time: 70m Servings: 8 servings Cake Crust – 1 box (15.25 ounces) yellow cake mix – 1 large egg, beaten – 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter (not margarine), melted – 1 large (gallon) zippered bag Avoid sandwich bag. Too thin and too small. Cream Cheese Filling – 1 package (8 ounces) full fat cream cheese, softened – 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter (not margarine), melted – 2 large eggs, beaten – 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice I used 1 lemon. – 1 teaspoon vanilla extract – 3 cups powdered sugar 1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2) Combine cake mix, melted butter, and beaten egg in a large zippered freezer bag. A sandwich bag is too thin. Freezer bags are sturdy. Close bag completely. Massage bag until all ingredients form a smooth dough (10-15 minutes). If preferred, use a stand mixer. Or, combine ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. 3) Remove cake batter from bag. It will be firm and easy to manage (texture reminds me of play dough). There may be a few dry crumbs. Simply press into batter until smooth. Set aside. 4) In a medium-sized bowl, add softened cream cheese, melted butter, eggs, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Use an electric mixer to stir until smooth. Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time. Stir until filling is smooth. 5) Lightly butter a 9×5 baking dish or cake pan. Firmly press cake batter (texture similar to play dough) into bottom. Pour filling evenly over dough. Smooth with the back of a spoon. 6) Bake 40 to 45 minutes. Oven temperatures vary. Decrease to 325 degrees if baking too fast. Avoid over baking. Gooey center will jiggle when done. 7) Cake is done when a knife inserted in center comes out with a little filling on the blade and a clean tip. If dough is on the tip, return to oven. Check every 10 minutes until knife inserted in center comes out with a clean tip. 8) Place cake under broiler for 1-2 minutes to brown. 9) Cake will firm up and stop jiggling after cooling 15 minutes. Serve warm or hot.
Gooey Butter Cake in a Bag
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine cake mix, melted butter, and beaten egg in a large zippered freezer bag. A sandwich bag is too thin. Freezer bags are sturdy. Close bag completely. Massage bag until all ingredients form a smooth dough (10-15 minutes). If preferred, use a stand mixer. Or, combine ingredients in a medium-sized bowl.
- Remove cake batter from bag. It will be firm and easy to manage (texture reminds me of play dough). There may be a few dry crumbs. Simply press into batter until smooth. Set aside.
- In a medium-sized bowl, add softened cream cheese, melted butter, eggs, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Use an electric mixer to stir until smooth. Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time. Stir until filling is smooth.
- Lightly butter a 9x5 baking dish or cake pan. Firmly press cake batter (texture similar to play dough) into bottom. Pour filling evenly over dough. Smooth with the back of a spoon.
- Bake 40 to 45 minutes. Oven temperatures vary. Decrease to 325 degrees if baking too fast. Avoid over baking. Gooey center will jiggle when done.
- Cake is done when a knife inserted in center comes out with a little filling on the blade and a clean tip. If dough is on the tip, return to oven. Check every 10 minutes until knife inserted in center comes out with a clean tip.
- Place cake under broiler for 1-2 minutes to brown.
- Cake will firm up and stop jiggling after cooling 15 minutes. Serve warm or hot.