Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake

Pumpkin gooey butter cake is simple to make and tastes like fall. It is part cake bar, part pumpkin cheesecake and all delicious!  

Starting with a cake mix makes whipping up this fabulous ooey gooey pumpkin cake a cinch.  It just takes a few simple ingredients and is ready to go in the oven in no time at all.

Then you can enjoy the simple crust and rich ooey gooey pumpkin filling. They are a fabulous make ahead fall treat. Really this pumpkin butter cake just might be the perfect autumn dessert.

Are ooey gooey butter cakes a thing where you live?  We are just a couple hours outside of St. Louis and if St. Louis is known for anything (outside of baseball and the arch of course) it is gooey butter cake. 

For the un-ooeyed of you out there, ooey gooey butter cake is part buttery, cakey crust and part ooey gooey cheesecake-like topping.

You usually dust it in powdered sugar and go to town.  It’s just how it’s done.

Of course over the years, people have taken it from it’s original form and created all sorts of fun flavors.  I made one laden with sprinkles for a fun birthday gooey butter cake. 

We have also have a recipe for apple lovers. Apple gooey butter cake uses apple butter to bring big apple punch with the same butter cake texture you have come to love.

I’d be perfectly happy with this instead of pumpkin pie on our Thanksgiving table to tell you the truth.  Of course that would be semi-blasphemous so maybe we’ll just have both instead!

Tips for Making a Pumpkin Ooey Gooey Butter Cake

Luckily putting this yummy treat together is super easy.  Just mix together a yellow cake mix, melted butter and an egg.

Press that mixture into a greased 9×13″ pan to form the crust. I lined my pan with aluminum foil in the video so I could lift it out and cut pretty pieces. 

I don’t normally do that if I am just baking them up for my family.  You are welcome to bake and serve them right from the pan, but feel free to follow suit if you are willing to go the extra mile to impress someone with perfect pieces.

The biggest tip for making the filling is to make sure you get the butter and cream cheese beaten smooth before adding anything else.  That will ensure the finished product is lump free.

Just make sure both are fully softened and scrape the sides of the bowl a few times. It really is that easy.

Mix in the remaining ingredients and pour it over the crust. Bake until the edges are golden and the center has just a little wobble. 

You don’t want it to be soupy, but you do want to avoid letting it set completely. That wobble is what gives you that gooey finish!

The hardest part of the whole thing is letting it cool and chill. Waiting to dive in is no fun!

Though if you aren’t going for picture perfect pieces, you can dig in whenever you would like. My youngest sister warms her gooey butter cake up in the microwave, so there’s no reason you couldn’t eat it warm. 

It will just be really soft and super gooey. Even gooeyer than normal! It will taste delicious but likely look like a hot mess.

Gooey butter cake is almost always finished with a sprinkle of powdered sugar. I usually just sift some on for a simple but pretty finish.

It is best to wait until right before serving to do with, otherwise the powdered sugar can be dissolved by any moisture or condensation on the cake.

But the pumpkin made me want whipped cream, so I added a dollop of maple whipped cream on top. We all give the combination two thumbs up and highly recommend you do the same!

Ingredient Information and Possible Substitutions

We really like using a yellow cake mix for the base of these bars. However, a pumpkin or spice cake mix would be a great way to switch it up and accentuate your favorite flavors.

Both salted and unsalted butter work well in this recipe, so use whichever you have on hand.

Full fat cream cheese works best in recipes like this. Reduced fat can work in a pinch, but using the real deal gives you the best texture and flavor.

Feel free to use pumpkin pie spice instead of the cinnamon and nutmeg called for in the recipe.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you use fresh pumpkin in gooey butter cake?

Yes! Feel free to use homemade pumpkin puree if you want. A 15 oz. can is about 1 3/4 cups of pumpkin, so substitute that amount of fresh pumpkin puree.

Just be sure your puree has a similar consistency to the canned version, sometimes homemade pumpkin can contain extra moisture which will make it hard for the bars to set.

How do you store gooey butter cake?

You can cover your pumpkin butter cake and keep it at room temperature for up to 3 days. Keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Or freeze the bars in freezer safe containers for up to a couple of months.