Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake Recipe {Homemade Thanksgiving Dessert} (2024)

Julie Clark

Posted: Updated:

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If you love ooey gooey butter cake, give this easy Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake a try! No cake mix needed, this fall pumpkin dessert is from scratch.

Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake Recipe {Homemade Thanksgiving Dessert} (2)

Gooey butter cake is a classic recipe, but today we’re giving it a pumpkin twist! This pumpkin gooey butter cake makes an easy Thanksgiving dessert or holiday party potluck dish. It makes a full pan…24 bars!

What is the difference between pumpkin puree and solid pack?

This recipe calls for solid pack pumpkin, as do most recipes for baked goods. So what is the difference between pumpkin puree and solid pack pumpkin? There is actually no difference between these two items. Pumpkin puree is just that. Pureed pumpkin has no additives and solid pack canned pumpkin is the same. For this recipe you can buy canned solid pack pumpkin, or if you’d like to roast your own pumpkin you can do that!

**You want to be sure you don’t pick up canned pumpkin pie filling. This is sweetened and flavored with seasonings and spices. You don’t want to substitute canned pie filling and pumpkin puree. Your recipe won’t come out tasting right.**

Crust Recipe

Gooey Butter Cake traditionally has a cake mix crust. This one, however, is made from scratch! We use a food processor to put this recipe together, however you can use a bowl and spoon or hand mixer if you’d like.

The crust has nuts in it, which gives it a rich, deep flavor. Make the crust and press it into a 9×13 pan you’ve lined with foil, then sprayed with cooking spray.

Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake Recipe {Homemade Thanksgiving Dessert} (3)

Pumpkin Filling

To make the pumpkin filling, simply wipe out the food processor with a paper towel. You don’t have to wash it out..just wipe it down! Cream together the cream cheese and pumpkin before adding the other ingredients. Make sure your cream cheese is softened or at room temperature and yes, you can use low-fat cream cheese if you’d like!

Once the ingredients are all creamed together, pour it over the crust.

Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake Recipe {Homemade Thanksgiving Dessert} (4)

Baking the Cake

When you bake the cake, be careful not to overbake it. You want the cake to be “gooey”. The center should be mostly set. Test it with a toothpick to make sure it isn’t 100% liquidy.

After the cake has cooled, cut it into slices. If you cut it before cooling, it may not cut in nice, even squares. The cake will set as it cools!

Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake Recipe {Homemade Thanksgiving Dessert} (5)

How to Serve Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake

As you can see, the cake cuts cleanly once it is cooled so that you can pretty much pick up the cake like a bar. Eat it like this is you’d like…or you can dollop it with whipped cream and chopped nuts for a pretty look.

How to Store Gooey Butter Cake

You’ll want to store this cake in the refrigerator in a sealed container.

Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake Recipe {Homemade Thanksgiving Dessert} (6)

Other Pumpkin Cakes

  • Pumpkin Spice Earthquake Cake
  • Pumpkin Spice Layer Cake
  • Easy Pumpkin Dump Cake
  • Pumpkin Angel Food Cake

Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake Recipe {Homemade Thanksgiving Dessert} (7)

Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake Recipe {Homemade Thanksgiving Dessert} (8)

Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake

4.50 from 4 votes

If you love ooey gooey butter cake, give this easy Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake a try! No cake mix needed, this fall pumpkin dessert is from scratch.

Servings 24

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

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Ingredients

First Layer:

Pumpkin Layer:

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 9x13 baking dish with foil, then spray with cooking spray.

  • In a large food processor, pulse the pecans until ground.

  • Add in the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt to the processor. Pulse until well combined.

  • Add in the eggs and butter. Run processor until thick dough is formed and everything is well combined.

  • Spread the dough out evenly along the bottom of the prepared pan.

  • Use a paper towel to wipe out your food processor.

  • Place the cream cheese and pumpkin in the food processor. Pulse until nice and creamy, with no lumps.

  • Add in the eggs, vanilla and melted butter. Mix again.

  • Add in all of the spices and slowly add in the powdered sugar, pulsing as you go, and mix until everything is well combined and no lumps are remaining.

  • Pour the pumpkin filling over the first layer.

  • Bake 40-50 minutes. A toothpick should come out with just a few crumbs. Do not over bake!

  • Allow the cake to cool, then slice into 24 bars.

  • Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Notes

The calories shown are based on the cake being cut into 24 pieces, with 1 serving being 1 slice of cake. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information.**

Nutrition

Calories: 312kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 66mg | Sodium: 94mg | Potassium: 136mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 3225IU | Vitamin C: 0.7mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 1.2mg

Author Julie Clark

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Calories 312

Keyword butter cake, pumpkin dessert, pumpkin spice, thanksgiving dessert

Have you tried this recipe?

Share a review below or share on Instagram with the tag #tastesoflizzyt.

Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake Recipe {Homemade Thanksgiving Dessert} (9)

Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake Recipe {Homemade Thanksgiving Dessert} (2024)

FAQs

What is another name for gooey butter cake? ›

The cream cheese variant of the gooey butter cake recipe (also known as "Ooey Gooey butter cake", occasionally "chess cake"), while close enough to the original, is an approximation designed for easier preparation at home.

Does ooey gooey cake need to be refrigerated? ›

The cake can be stored at room temperature for 2- 3 days. Be sure to store it in an airtight container or use aluminum foil or plastic wrap to help keep them from drying out. You can also store it in the refrigerator for 4-5 days and serve it chilled but it won't be as gooey.

Is Gooey Butter Cake a St Louis thing? ›

"What is Gooey Butter Cake you ask? It is a super-sweet, rich, St. Louis original treat!

What can you use pumpkin butter for? ›

We love pumpkin butter on toast, but there's so much more you can do with fall's ultimate condiment. Spread pumpkin butter on toast, scones, quickbreads, and scones, or dollop atop French toast. It can also be used as an ingredient in pancakes and even as a savory pasta sauce.

Why is gooey butter cake so good? ›

Made of little else but flour, sugar, butter, eggs, and corn syrup, it's immediately satisfying and luxurious to eat. The result is chewy, rich, and creamy, almost like a vanilla pudding that's been nestled into a blondie. In St. Louis gooey butter cake is everywhere.

Who made the original gooey butter cake? ›

In late 1942 or early 1943, Johnny Hoffman of St. Louis Pastries Bakery was working on a Saturday and made what eventually turned out to be Gooey Butter Cake. You're right, it was a mistake!

Is Gooey cake undercooked? ›

This cake will (and should) seem underbaked. That's OK! That's exactly what puts the “gooey” in gooey butter cake. The edges of the cake should puff slightly and begin to appear golden brown, while the center will appear flaky but still have a lot of jiggle to it.

Why is my gooey butter cake too runny? ›

While it may be tempting to eat right away, this ooey gooey butter cake needs to completely cool to room temperature. Otherwise, it will be too runny due to it's gooey nature. Place on a cooling rack for at least two hours. If bottom of pan still feels warm, let cool for longer.

What is Kentucky butter cake made of? ›

A Kentucky Butter cake is the simplest cake you can find. The ingredients are truly pantry staples: eggs, butter, flour, sugar, baking soda, and buttermilk.

What is a Tom Cruise bundt cake? ›

The family-owned and -operated bakery describes the Cruise Cake as a coconut bundt cake with chunks of white chocolate, covered in a layer of cream cheese frosting and a mountain of shredded coconut. While Cruise has certainly made the cake famous, he wasn't the first actor to fall in love with it.

What city is known for gooey butter cake? ›

South St. Louis was the heart of Gooey Butter Cake territory when that area was filled with German immigrants and was a treasure-trove of family-owned, German-style bakeries.

What is Paula Deen's Ooey Gooey cake? ›

The Recipe Unveiled: Gooey Goodness in Every Layer

Paula Deen's Ooey Gooey Butter Cake boasts a recipe that's as delightful to make as it is to eat. The base recipe, much like traditional butter cakes, comprises flour, eggs, butter, sugar, and sometimes salt, along with a chemical leavening pair.

Can I use canned pumpkin instead of fresh? ›

When it comes to baking, I think you'd be fine using either canned or fresh. I'll always keep a few cans of regular pumpkin puree in my pantry because I love to bake with the stuff.

Can dogs eat pumpkin butter? ›

Just like with nut butters, dogs can enjoy a variety of seed butters, but not all seed butters. Pets can enjoy chia seed butter, pumpkin seed butter and even sunflower seed butter.

Can you use pumpkin purée instead of pumpkin butter? ›

No, pumpkin butter is not the same as pumpkin purée. Pumpkin purée is 100% pure pumpkin that has been blended into a smooth consistency, whereas you cook the pumpkin purée with additional ingredients to make this pumpkin spread.

What are butter cakes also called? ›

There are two main types of cakes: butter cakes (also known as shortened cakes) and foam cakes. The distinction between these two broad categories of cake is in the fat content.

What is also known as gooey? ›

a lovely, gooey, sticky mess. Synonyms: sticky, soft, tacky, viscous More Synonyms of gooey. 2. graded adjective. Gooey is sometimes used to describe very foolish, exaggerated ways of expressing love or affection.

Why is it called gooey butter cake? ›

He was so enamored by the result, he called his friend Herman Danzer and the two bakers spent all day mixing and baking to try and recreate his new invention. When Herman's wife Melba arrived amid the trials, she tried a spoonful and said, “It sure is gooey.” Thus, the unusual name.

What is another name for cake gel? ›

Cake gel, also known as cake emulsifier and SP, is a kind of paste emulsifier obtained by hydration and emulsification of monoglyceride, polyglycerol fatty acid ester, span, tween, propylene glycol fatty acid ester, sucrose ester and other emulsifiers. Cake gel is not fat, but a compound food additive.

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