Gooey Butter Cake

I am so excited to share this recipe with you. I think it's the perfect recipe to start the year.  I must admit the recipe did seem a bit weird to start with. It includes a layer of an yeasty dough base and then a very buttery filling, interesting enough but still odd. But with the renewed enthusiasm that accompanies the first few weeks of a new year, that makes you want to take up anything that seems challenging and new, I readily agreed to give it a shot . Boy oh boy, was that a smart decision !!!!


This cake seems like a perfect marriage of baked cheesecake and ghee cake (Cochin bakery lovers in Mangalore will understand the excitement of this one). This is food of the angels!!!! Don't let this slightly weird recipe put you off, it is worth every ounce of butter you put into it. I served this cake to a bunch of family I had over and they loved it . I would think this cake is best eaten in a day or two. Beyond that, though you can re heat it in the microwave, it fails to retain that amazing texture.

The cake has two parts to it ; one, a layer of cake, made with yeast and two, a very gooey butter filling. The batter or rather dough for the first layer of cake is rather thick, so don't be alarmed with its consistency. You will have to wrestle a bit with it to spread it out in the tin, but that in no way should predict its texture, which will eventually taste like a layer of soft cake.The second layer is much thinner and very spreadable. Make sure the butter is softened when you start. Also if you're using a spring form/loose bottomed cake tin, make sure to grease and line the base of the tin and also cover the base with cake on all edges. The gooey layer melts at first as the cake bakes and if you have gaps in the base, you'll lose precious gooeyness that'll leak through. Wonder how I know this. Anyway, if that does happen, don't worry, the gooey layer firms up in a bit and will stop leaking at some point of time, and you'll still have loads of the filling left on the cake. I know this for sure too.

Gooey Butter Cake:

From : Life is Sweet

For the cake:
55 ml milk
55 ml water
50 gm unsalted butter
2 1/2 tsp dried active or instant yeast
265 g plain flour
50 g castor sugar
1/2 salt
1 large egg

For the butter filling:
310 gm unsalted butter
160 ml condensed milk
160 gm golden syrup
2 large eggs
90 g plain flour
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt


1. Start with preheating the oven to 175 C. Grease and line a 9 inch round cake tin.
2. For the cake layer, heat the milk, water and butter over low heat in a saucepan. Heat till the butter has just melted, then allow to cool till lukewarm. Sprinkle the yeast over and leave for 10 mins.
3. In another bowl, mix the flour , sugar and salt. Add the yeast mixture and the egg, whisking with an electric beater for about 2 minutes. Switch to a dough hook and knead for 10 minutes.
4. Pour this rather firm dough into the prepared tin, spreading it all over using a spatula. Keep aside as you make the butter filling.

5, For the filling, first beat the butter till fluffy. Add  two thirds of the condensed milk and all the golden syrup and mix thoroughly.
6. Add the eggs one at a time, mix in the flour and alternate with the remaining condensed milk. Add the vanilla, salt and mix well.
7. Spoon the filling over the yeast dough , (which could have risen a bit, leave as is) and bake for about 30 mins .
8. The butter filling will turn a golden brown when its done.  Take the cake out of the oven when the filling is still slightly wobbly, the filling will set as it cools.
9. Let the cake cool in the tin, and serve dusted with icing sugar if you like.