Lemon Gooey Butter Cake (Print Layout)

Tangy, buttery dessert with soft base and creamy lemon topping. Easy 1-hour treat yielding 12 luscious squares.

# What You Need:

01 - 1 box yellow cake mix (about 15 ounces)

02 - ½ cup unsalted butter, melted (1 stick)

03 - 1 large egg

04 - 8 ounces cream cheese, softened (1 package)

05 - 2 large eggs

06 - 3½ cups powdered sugar

07 - ¼ cup fresh lemon juice

08 - 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

09 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper or grease lightly.

02 - Combine cake mix, melted butter, and egg in a mixing bowl. Mix until soft dough forms.

03 - Press dough evenly into bottom of prepared pan to form crust layer.

04 - Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add eggs one at a time. Mix in powdered sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla until fluffy and smooth.

05 - Pour lemon mixture over base and spread evenly. Bake for 35-40 minutes until edges are set and center is slightly jiggly. Avoid overbaking.

06 - Let cake cool completely before cutting into squares. Dust with extra powdered sugar if desired.

01 -

The contrast between the tender cake base and that luscious, lemony custard top is absolutely addictive
It uses a cake mix shortcut but tastes completely homemade and impressive
Perfect balance of tart and sweet that feels like sunshine on a plate

02 -

That slightly jiggly center is exactly what you want, so resist the urge to bake it longer
Cutting through warm cake will ruin the gorgeous layers, so patience really pays off here

03 -

Room temperature ingredients mix together so much more easily and prevent that dreaded grainy texture
Grate your lemons before juicing them, it is infinitely easier to hold onto the fruit that way