Ultimate Red Velvet Gooey Butter Cake: A Decadent Homemade Dessert
Red Velvet Gooey Butter Cake – Indulge in the perfect harmony of flavors and textures with this irresistible Red Velvet Gooey Butter Cake. Featuring a velvety soft and moist red velvet cake base, crowned with a subtly crunchy, incredibly gooey, and beautifully cracked cream cheese topping, this dessert is a true showstopper. It’s a delightful twist on a classic, offering a unique sensory experience with every bite.
Imagine a dessert where the rich, cocoa-infused red velvet cake meets a luscious, buttery cream cheese layer – the combination is simply irresistible. This incredible Gooey Butter Cake recipe is designed to impress, ensuring you become the star of any gathering. Prepare to receive endless compliments as you unveil this St. Louis classic, reimagined with a delightful red velvet twist.
Originating in the vibrant city of St. Louis, the traditional Gooey Butter Cake is a beloved American dessert known for its distinct two layers. It features a dense, moist cake on the bottom, often made from a yellow cake mix, generously topped with an almost cheesecake-like cream cheese mixture. This unique construction results in a cake that is both tender and incredibly rich, a true comfort food for many. Our Red Velvet version elevates this classic, infusing it with the sophisticated flavor and vibrant color of a red velvet cake, making it an even more enticing treat.
The truly magical aspect of this dessert lies in the incredible textural interplay. It’s that delightful “liminal space” where the tender red velvet cake layer and the rich, creamy topping meet, creating a super moist and intensely gooey perfection. This fusion is what makes every forkful so satisfying. Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or simply craving a comforting treat, this Red Velvet Gooey Butter Cake fits perfectly. While traditional Gooey Butter Cakes are a staple throughout the year, from bustling hockey season gatherings to warm baseball game picnics, our red velvet adaptation makes it the quintessential dessert for Valentine’s Day, anniversaries, or any moment deserving of a touch of romantic elegance.
So, don’t delay! Gather your ingredients, make sure your cream cheese is softened to perfection, and get ready to whisk up some magic. It’s time to dust off your stand mixer and embark on the delightful journey of creating this exquisite Red Velvet Gooey Butter Cake. Your taste buds, and your loved ones, will thank you!
For more delectable red velvet recipes, be sure to check out these other favorites:
- Red Velvet Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting
- Easy Red Velvet Oreo Brownie Recipe
- Easy Red Velvet Cake Recipe With Cream Cheese
- Oreo Red Velvet Cookies With Frosting
Why You Should Make This Red Velvet Gooey Butter Cake
This Red Velvet Gooey Butter Cake recipe offers countless reasons to fall in love with it, but for your convenience, I’ve compiled a detailed list highlighting what makes it truly special:
- Try Something Unique and Exciting: Unless you reside in the Midwest or hail from St. Louis, chances are you haven’t experienced the sheer delight of a traditional gooey butter cake. Imagine then, adding the iconic flavor and striking color of red velvet to that equation! This recipe offers a novel and incredibly satisfying dessert experience that will surely stand out from the usual fare. It’s a culinary adventure worth taking.
- Irresistibly Sweet Cream Cheese Filling: The top layer of this cake is a dream come true for cream cheese lovers. This sweet, buttery cream cheese mixture is so incredibly decadent and smooth, it’s honestly good enough to eat straight from the bowl. It provides a luxurious contrast to the cake base, making every bite feel like a celebration. Forget just Valentine’s Day – this is the kind of cake you’ll want to bake for every holiday and special occasion, or simply to treat yourself.
- A Superior Red Velvet Experience: The bottom layer is a perfectly crafted red velvet cake, moist and tender with just the right hint of cocoa. It’s robust enough to be a standalone dessert, yet it pairs harmoniously with the creamy topping. The addition of the rich, tangy cream cheese mixture transforms it from a great cake into an absolute masterpiece, making it a clear choice over other red velvet desserts.
- The Star of Any Gathering – Especially Cookie Swaps: If you’re looking to become the “It” person of the season, bring this Red Velvet Gooey Butter Cake to your next cookie exchange or potluck. It’s guaranteed to be the most talked-about dessert, a true crowd-plepleaser that will have everyone begging for the recipe. You won’t just participate; you’ll effortlessly win the cookie swap and earn a reputation as an exceptional baker!
- Perfect for Festive Occasions: The vibrant red hue of this cake naturally makes it a fantastic choice for holidays like Valentine’s Day, Christmas, or even a celebratory Fourth of July dessert. Its striking appearance and irresistible taste make it suitable for any event where you want to add a touch of color and sweetness.
- Simple Yet Sophisticated: Despite its impressive look and complex flavor, this Red Velvet Gooey Butter Cake recipe is surprisingly straightforward to make. With clear instructions, even novice bakers can achieve stunning results, making it an accessible indulgence for everyone.
Essential Ingredients for Your Gooey Butter Cake
To create this magnificent dessert, you’ll need a few key ingredients. Below is a list of must-haves, along with some tips for best results. For a complete list of detailed measurements and instructions, please scroll down to the comprehensive recipe card below!
- Red Food Coloring or Emulsion: To achieve that iconic, vibrant red hue, red food coloring is essential for the red velvet layer. While you could use beet juice for a natural alternative, high-quality liquid or gel food coloring (or a red velvet emulsion for enhanced flavor) will give you the most consistent and stunning results.
- Powdered Sugar: This fine sugar is crucial for two reasons: it creates the incredibly smooth and slightly runny cream cheese topping, and it’s dusted on top for that classic, elegant gooey butter cake finish. Make sure to sift it to avoid lumps in your topping.
- Large Eggs (Room Temperature): Always use room temperature eggs for baking. They incorporate more easily and evenly into batters, creating a smoother texture and helping the cake rise better for a light and airy crumb.
- Cream Cheese (Room Temperature): Just like the eggs, softened, room temperature cream cheese is vital. It blends effortlessly, ensuring a silky-smooth, lump-free cream cheese filling. Cold cream cheese will result in a clumpy mixture that won’t spread evenly.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: A small amount of unsweetened cocoa powder gives the red velvet cake its characteristic subtle chocolate flavor and depth, enhancing the red color rather than overpowering it. Be sure to use unsweetened to control the overall sweetness of the cake.
- Unsalted Butter: For all precision bakers and “control freaks” out there, using unsalted butter is key. This allows you to meticulously control the amount of salt in your recipe, ensuring the perfect balance of flavors in both the cake and the gooey topping.
- Buttermilk and White Distilled Vinegar: These acidic ingredients are essential for activating the baking soda, contributing to the red velvet’s tender crumb and characteristic tang. They also help deepen the red color.
- All-Purpose Flour: The backbone of our cake, providing structure. Make sure to measure it accurately, preferably by weight, to avoid a dense cake.
How to Make This Decadent Red Velvet Gooey Butter Cake
Crafting this delightful cake is a rewarding experience. Here are the essential steps and tips to guide you through the process. For the full, detailed instructions, please refer to the recipe card below!
- Prepare Your Workspace: First, preheat your oven to the specified temperature, ensuring it’s hot and ready for baking. Then, prepare a 9-inch springform pan by greasing it thoroughly with baking spray and lining the bottom with parchment paper. This crucial step prevents sticking and ensures easy removal of your beautiful cake.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and all-purpose flour. This ensures even distribution of leavening agents and flavor throughout the cake batter. Set this mixture aside for later.
- Cream Wet Ingredients: Using a stand mixer (or a hand mixer), cream together the softened unsalted butter, vegetable oil, and granulated sugar until the mixture becomes light, fluffy, and noticeably paler in color. This process, known as creaming, incorporates air, which is vital for a tender cake crumb.
- Add Eggs and Flavorings: Gradually add the room temperature large eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition to ensure full incorporation. Follow with vanilla extract, red velvet emulsion (or red food coloring), full-fat sour cream, and white distilled vinegar. Mix on low speed just until everything is combined; avoid overmixing at this stage.
- Alternate Wet and Dry: With your mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture and buttermilk in alternating batches. Begin and end with the flour mixture. Mix only until just incorporated, being careful not to overmix, as this can lead to a tough cake. The batter should be smooth but not overworked.
- Prepare the Base: Pour the vibrant red velvet batter evenly into your prepared springform pan. Gently spread it to the edges. Now, set this aside as you move on to crafting the gooey cream cheese topping.
- Create the Cream Cheese Filling: In a separate clean bowl, use your mixer to beat the room temperature cream cheese until it’s smooth, creamy, and free of any lumps. This is key for a silky topping.
- Incorporate Egg and Sugar: Add one large egg to the cream cheese mixture and beat until just combined. Then, gradually add the powdered sugar in several batches, mixing thoroughly after each addition until a smooth, slightly runny consistency is achieved. This ensures the signature “gooey” texture. The mixture should be pourable, but not watery.
- Layer and Bake: Carefully pour the cream cheese mixture over the red velvet cake batter in the pan, making sure to achieve even coverage. It’s crucial that none of the red velvet batter is peeking through, especially at the corners, to prevent the cream cheese filling from sinking during baking.
- Bake to Perfection: Bake the cake in your preheated oven for approximately 50-55 minutes. The cake is done when the edges are beautifully golden brown, the middle has developed characteristic cracks, but it still maintains a slight jiggly movement in the center. This jiggliness is essential for the gooey texture.
- Cool and Chill: Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes. This initial cooling helps it set. After that, transfer the cake (still in its pan) to the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Chilling is vital to allow the cream cheese filling to firm up properly and achieve its ideal gooey, yet set, consistency.
- Garnish and Serve: Before serving, a final dust of powdered sugar adds a classic touch and enhances the visual appeal of your magnificent Red Velvet Gooey Butter Cake. Slice and enjoy!
Tools I Used to Make This Cake!
Having the right tools can make all the difference in your baking experience, especially for a layered cake like this one. Here are the essential tools that will help you achieve perfect results:
- Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer: Absolutely indispensable for creaming butter and sugar until light and fluffy, and for thoroughly mixing both the cake batter and the rich cream cheese filling. A stand mixer makes the process effortless, while a hand mixer offers flexibility.
- Medium-Sized Bowl: Ideal for whisking together your dry ingredients (cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and flour) to ensure they are well combined before adding to the wet ingredients.
- Rubber Spatula: A simple yet crucial tool for scraping down the sides and bottom of your mixing bowl. This ensures all ingredients are fully incorporated, leading to a consistent and perfectly textured batter.
- 9-inch Springform Pan: The hero of this recipe, a springform pan with its removable sides is perfect for baking layered cakes. It allows for effortless release without damaging the delicate structure of your gooey butter cake. Remember to grease it properly and line the bottom with parchment paper.
- Baking Spray (Pam’s Baking Spray or Non-Stick Baking Spray): Essential for thoroughly greasing your springform pan, preventing the cake from sticking and ensuring a smooth release.
- Parchment Paper: Lining the bottom of your springform pan with parchment paper provides an extra layer of non-stick protection, making it incredibly easy to remove the finished cake.
- Small Offset Spatula: This handy tool is perfect for spreading the cream cheese filling evenly over the red velvet batter. Its angled blade allows for precise and smooth application, ensuring complete coverage.
- Baking Sheet: Placing your springform pan on a sturdy baking sheet before baking can catch any potential drips or leaks, keeping your oven clean and making transfer in and out of the oven easier.
- Wire Rack: Necessary for cooling the cake after baking, allowing air to circulate around it and preventing the bottom from becoming soggy.
Frequently Asked Questions – Red Velvet Gooey Butter Cake
Here are answers to some common questions you might have while baking this delicious Red Velvet Gooey Butter Cake:
- Why use a springform pan?
A springform pan is highly recommended for this recipe because its removable sides make it incredibly easy to release the finished cake without damaging its delicate layers or signature gooey top. If you opt for a regular 9-inch round pan, ensure it is exceptionally well-greased and floured, and consider lining the entire pan (bottom and sides) with parchment paper to aid in clean removal. - What’s the purpose of the white distilled vinegar in the cake?
The white distilled vinegar serves multiple important functions in red velvet cake. Primarily, it reacts with the baking soda to create carbon dioxide bubbles, which provide leavening and contribute to the cake’s light, tender crumb. Additionally, the vinegar helps to intensify the red food coloring, making the cake’s color more vibrant, and it adds a subtle tang that balances the sweetness, a hallmark of classic red velvet flavor. - Can I substitute LorAnn’s red velvet emulsion with red food coloring?
Yes, absolutely! LorAnn’s red velvet emulsion provides both color and a unique red velvet flavor profile. However, if you don’t have it, you can easily substitute it with high-quality red food coloring (gel food coloring typically provides a more intense color than liquid). Adjust the amount of food coloring based on the desired intensity of the red hue. The cake will still be delicious and beautiful! - How do I know when the cake is done baking?
The key to a perfectly gooey butter cake is knowing when it’s done, but not overbaked. The edges of the cake should appear golden brown and set. The center of the cake, however, will still be noticeably jiggly when gently shaken, and it will have developed characteristic cracks across the surface. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out with moist crumbs, not wet batter, but it won’t be completely clean like a regular cake. Trust the jiggle for that signature gooey texture! - The cream cheese filling sunk into the cake? Why?
If your cream cheese filling sank into the red velvet layer, it’s likely due to incomplete coverage. The top layer needs to completely cover the cake batter beneath it, especially around the edges of the pan. If any red velvet cake batter is exposed when the cake goes into the oven, the lighter cream cheese mixture can “fall through” these gaps as it bakes. Ensure you use a small offset spatula to spread the cream cheese filling all the way to the edges, creating a seamless, even top layer. - Can I make this cake in a different sized pan?
While this recipe is optimized for a 9-inch springform pan, you could experiment with a 9×13 inch baking dish for a thinner cake, or smaller pans. However, baking times and the gooeyness level will vary significantly, so careful monitoring will be required. A larger, shallower pan will likely bake faster, while smaller, deeper pans will take longer.
Storing and Freezing Your Red Velvet Gooey Butter Cake
To keep your Red Velvet Gooey Butter Cake at its best, proper storage is essential. Due to its cream cheese filling, this cake should always be stored in the refrigerator. Place any leftover slices or the entire cake in an airtight container to prevent it from drying out and absorbing other odors. When stored correctly, your cake will maintain its delightful moistness and rich flavor for up to 3-5 days in the fridge.
Freezing – Gooey Butter Cake
For longer preservation, freezing your Red Velvet Gooey Butter Cake is a fantastic option. It’s best to freeze the cake before adding any powdered sugar garnish. To do so, ensure the cake has completely cooled to room temperature. Wrap the entire cake (or individual slices) securely in several layers of plastic wrap, making sure it’s completely sealed to prevent freezer burn. Then, place the wrapped cake in an airtight freezer-safe container or a heavy-duty resealable freezer bag. It can be stored in the freezer for up to 2-3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy it again, simply thaw the cake overnight in the refrigerator before serving. You can dust it with fresh powdered sugar just before serving for that perfect finishing touch.
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Looking for more gooey butter cake inspiration? Check out these fantastic recipes:
- Gooey Butter Pumpkin Cake Without A Box Mix
- Best Gooey Butter Cake Without Cake Mix
- Easy Red Velvet Cake Recipe With Cream Cheese
- Copycat Portillo’s Chocolate Cake Recipe
Recipe
Red Velvet Gooey Butter Cake
Molly Murphy
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
For the cake
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 Tablespoons LorAnn’s red velvet emulsion you can substitute with red food coloring
- 2 tablespoons full fat sour cream room temperature
- ½ teaspoon white distilled vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup buttermilk room temperature
For the Cream Cheese Layer:
- 8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 2 ¾ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
For the cake
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Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a 9 inch springform pan with Pam’s Baking Spray. Line the bottom with parchment paper and spray the sides. Set aside.
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In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and all-purpose flour. Set aside.
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In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, oil and sugar on medium high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. The mixture should turn white and nearly double in size.
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With a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl. With the mixer on medium speed, start adding the eggs one at a time, mixing for 30 seconds after each addition. Scrape the sides and bottom after each addition.
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Once the eggs have been added, add the vanilla, LorAnn’s emulsion (or red food coloring), sour cream, and vinegar. Mix on low just until incorporated, about 30-60 seconds.
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Scrape down the sides of the bowl and turn the mixer on low. Add half of the flour mixture and half of the buttermilk to the butter mixture and mix until just incorporated. Finally, add the rest of the flour mixture and the last of the buttermilk, while mixing on low. Do not over mix, this should take 30-45 seconds.
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Pour the red velvet batter into the prepared springform pan. Set aside while you make the cream cheese filling.
For the Cream Cheese Filling
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In a medium-sized bowl, use a hand mixer on medium-high speed to beat the cream cheese until it’s smooth and creamy.
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Add the egg and mix on high for 30 seconds, using a rubber spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.
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Gradually add 1 cup of powdered sugar at a time, mixing for medium high speed 30 seconds after each addition. This should take a little over 1 minute to complete.
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Once combined, pour the cream cheese mixture on top of the red velvet cake batter and use a small offset spatula to spread it into an even layer. Make sure you don’t see any red velvet peaking through the corners of the cake. You want it completely covered by the cream cheese filling.
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Bake for 50-55 minutes. The middle of the cake will still be slightly jiggly, but it’s done when the edges are golden and the middle has cracked.
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When the cake is done, let it cool for 10-15 minutes, then place it in the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours to allow the cream cheese to firm up and set.
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To garnish, dust the cake with powdered sugar.