Chocolate Gooey Butter Cake Recipe

Calling all the chocolate lovers! We know exactly what recipe you need for Valentine's Day (or any day for that matter): chocolate gooey butter cake! This chocolate gooey butter cake comes to us from recipe developer and registered dietitian nutritionist Kristen Carli, MS, RD. She's a dietitian that supports eating chocolate and for that, we thank her!

Valentine's Day is the perfect day to indulge in some sweet treats. This chocolate gooey butter cake has two layers: one made of chocolate cake mix and one made of cream cheese and powdered sugar. That sounds like the ultimate decadent treat. Carli recommends making "this at the start of your week and serving up slices for dessert all week long. I love having desserts on hand to supply when the cravings hit." We happen to agree with this philosophy. If you meal prep your other meals, why don't you meal prep dessert as well? Now, we will!

To make this delicious chocolate gooey butter cake, you will need one box of chocolate cake mix, one stick of unsalted butter, four eggs, a block of softened cream cheese, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and chocolate chips. Carli recommends that "you can use any type of chocolate cake mix here: devil's food cake, chocolate fudge, chocolate chip, etc." We love the idea of using devil's food cake, and we especially love the simplicity of using box mix for a hassle-free dessert!

Now that you've got your ingredients, we can get started. Preheat the oven to 350 F. While the oven is heating up, spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Carli recommends using a "large baking dish in this recipe because the cake will be rather deep and wide. Any standard nine by thirteen baking dish will do, but forget the cake pans for this recipe." We heard her loud and clear! We won't complain about having a big cake.

To start you will create the base layer of the cake. In a large bowl, add the chocolate cake mix, two eggs, and the melted butter. Mix with a spoon or a silicone spatula until all ingredients are evenly combined. Then, once the batter has been stirred well, pour this mixture into your prepared baking dish. You will need to use a silicone spatula to press this thick mixture down into the dish. Be sure to spread it evenly.

Next, it's time to create the cream cheese top layer. In the bowl of stand mixer, add the softened cream cheese, cocoa powder, and two remaining eggs. Using the paddle attachment, mix until combined. Then, add the powdered sugar to the same bowl. Slowly and carefully, place the bowl back into the stand mixer and mix. Carli warns, "Be very careful here or you will have powdered sugar all over your kitchen. Go slowly at first and then once the sugar has been incorporated, you can turn up the mixer a bit to get the mixture stirred well."

Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and add in the chocolate chips. Using a spoon, stir the chocolate chips into the batter. Then, carefully pour out the batter on top of the base layer. Using a silicone spatula, spread this mixture out evenly, ensuring that the batter gets into the corners of the baking dish. Now, all that's left to do is bake the cake (and eat it, of course)!

Now, for the not so fun part: the waiting. Bake your cake in a 350 F oven for 45 to 50 minutes. We know, we know... that seems like forever. But, trust us. It will be worth it. Let the aroma of chocolatey goodness fill your kitchen and enjoy. When the time is up, remove the cake from the oven. Test the cake doneness with a toothpick. Insert the toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, your cake is done. If not, it could use a few more minutes in the oven. Allow the cake to cool for at least 15 minutes before diving in. Since you have a nice, big cake, you can enjoy pieces of it throughout the entire week!