This Peanut Butter Gooey Butter Cake is rich and gooey and packed with creamy peanut butter flavor. It has a chocolate cake cookie crust and a luscious, gooey, buttery peanut butter and cream cheese topping. Every bite is a melt-in-your-mouth experience that’s impossible to resist.
This Peanut Butter Gooey Butter Cake is a dreamy, decadent dessert yet easy to whip up. With a crunchy chocolate base and a gooey, buttery peanut butter topping, it’s the perfect mix of comfort and indulgence.
If you’re a gooey dessert fan, check out my pumpkin gooey butter cake, gooey chocolate chip cookie pie, and gooey lemon bars!
Why You’ll Love This Cake
- Combines a rich, dense chocolate base with a gooey peanut butter and cream cheese topping.
- Easy to make, yet indulgent and impressive.
- Perfect for both special occasions and casual family gatherings.
Peanut Butter Gooey Butter Cake Ingredients
Chocolate Cake Mix: This forms the base layer of the cake. It provides a rich, chocolatey foundation that perfectly balances the peanut butter topping.
Eggs: They help bind the cake together and also contribute to the creaminess of the topping. Dividing the eggs helps differentiate the textures between the cake layer and the gooey top.
Unsalted Butter: Melted butter adds richness and moisture to the base and topping, creating that signature buttery, gooeyness we all crave.
Cream Cheese: Softened cream cheese is a must for the gooey layer, providing a creamy, tangy contrast that balances the sweet peanut butter.
Creamy Peanut Butter: The star of the show! Smooth and creamy, peanut butter adds depth of flavor, making this cake a dream for peanut butter fans.
Vanilla Extract: A little bit of vanilla enhances the sweetness and brings out peanut butter and chocolate flavors.
Confectioner’s Sugar (Powdered Sugar): It sweetens the gooey layer, giving it a light, melt-in-your-mouth texture while balancing the tanginess of the cream cheese.
Recipe Tips and Variations
- Room Temperature Ingredients & Soft Cream Cheese: For the best results, make sure your cream cheese is SUPER soft and eggs are at room temperature before mixing. This ensures a smoother batter and even baking.
- Alternative Toppings: Sprinkle crushed peanuts or chocolate chips over the top before baking for added texture.
- Peanut Butter Options: Creamy peanut butter works best in this recipe, but you can use chunky peanut butter for a more textured topping if you prefer a bit of crunch.
- Jiggly Center: Remember, this cake is a GOOEY cake, and the center will wiggle even when it’s done. Take it out, let it sit, and then cut it. It will still be gooey, though.
More Cake Recipes You’ll Love
Whip up this Peanut Butter Gooey Butter Cake for a decadent, irresistible dessert! It’s simple to make, incredibly indulgent, and perfect for any occasion.
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Ingredients
- 18 oz chocolate cake mix
- 4 large eggs, 3 and 1 divided
- 1 cup melted unsalted butter , 2 sticks divided
- 8 oz cream cheese, SUPER SOFT
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups confectioner's sugar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and generously spray or rub butter around a round cake pan or springform with nonstick spray.
- In a large bowl, combine the chocolate cake mix, 1 egg, and 1 stick of melted butter.
- Using an electric hand-held mixer, beat the ingredients together until fully combined.
- Press the mixture evenly into the prepared baking pan, creating a smooth and even base. It will have a dry crumble texture; this is the crust of the cake.
- In another large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth and creamy. If you need to soften, add it to the microwave for a few seconds.
- Add the eggs, peanut butter, vanilla extract, and 1 stick melted butter, blending until smooth. Finally, mix powdered sugar with an electric mixer until well incorporated.
- Spread the peanut butter topping evenly over the cake base using a rubber spatula.
- Bake for about 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes or until the center is slightly gooey. Remember, the center will never be entirely "done," and it's not supposed to be. This is a GOOEY cake; the center will not be completely set.
- If the top of the cake is getting too brown but still needs more baking time, cover it loosely with aluminum foil. This will prevent further browning while allowing the cake to finish baking. Keep an eye on it and remove the foil during the last few minutes if needed!
- Once out of the oven, let the cake sit for a bit to allow the center to settle. Cut into slices and serve on its own, or top with whipped cream or a drizzle of chocolate sauce for an extra treat!
