Oh the Butter

Paula Deen is the “Queen of Butter.” I laugh every time I watch her in the kitchen, cooking with any recipe that includes butter. She even had a whole show on “Butter” which was absolutely wonderful and full of great recipes.

But I will say out of all of the Paula Deen dessert recipes my favorite is her Double Chocolate Gooey Butter Cake, which I’ve posted about many times on my blog.

This recipe is the one dessert recipe I pull out when I want a delicious quick dessert for parties, birthdays, work functions or pot lucks. And the best part of this recipe is it can be mixed up and in the oven in less than 15 minutes. Oh, and did I mention it has two sticks of butter in it. TWO.

Try it next time you have an upcoming party, and just don’t have the time to spend half a day in the kitchen making a dessert. I’m making it next week for my Master Gardening class that I’m taking right now. Each Monday three of the students provide food for 30 Master Gardening Trainees. I hope my dessert is a hit, but truthfully I’m not that worried…you can never go wrong with any of Paula’s Gooey Butter Cake recipes.

Double Chocolate Gooey Butter Cake

by Paula Deen

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, melted, plus 8 more tablespoons (1 stick) butter, melted, plus additional butter, for greasing pan

1 (18.25-ounce) package chocolate cake mix

1 egg, plus 2 eggs

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

3 to 4 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.Lightly grease a 13 by 9-inch baking pan.

In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, 1 egg, and 1 stick melted butter, and stir until well blended. Pat mixture into prepared pan and set aside.In a stand mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the remaining 2 eggs, and the cocoa powder. Lower the speed of the mixer, and add the powdered sugar.

Continue beating until ingredients are well mixed. Slowly add the remaining 1 stick of melted butter, and the vanilla, continuing to beat the mixture until smooth. Stir in nuts with a rubber spatula. Spread filling over cake mixture in pan.

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Be careful not to overcook the cake; the center should still be a little gooey when finished baking. Let cake partially cool on a wire rack before cutting into pieces.