Comments on: Will the Real Gooey Butter Cake Please Stand Up?

By: joykenn

joykenn — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 20:14:36 +0000

This is an interesting experiment. Just looking at the picture and reading the recipes, this looks very similar to the old Southern favorite Chess Pie. It’s usually put in an unbaked pastry crust. The St. Louis crust sounds like an old one crust recipe (never fails) I’ve been using for years.

The filling of a Chess Pie (no cheese so I don’t know how it got that name) is made of sugar, eggs, a tablespoon of flour and maybe a couple of tablespoon of milk depending on the recipe, a large amount of butter and then vanilla. Pour in crust and bake. Lemon Chess Pie (my favorite) was sent from Heaven to give us an idea of what they eat in Paradise–or so I’ve always thought. There are as many little variations of this basic combination as there are experimental cooks.

The filling is nice and gooey and tastes of sugar, butter, eggs and whatever flavor you add–did I say lemon is my favorite? I’ve even heard of chocolate chess pie which is just WRONG in my book but beloved of some folks.

What do you guys who’ve had both Chess Pie and Gooey Cake think? Are they similar/different…maybe cousins?

By: Jane

Jane — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 16:08:29 +0000

Paula’s good in taking recipes that are vintage or regional and popularizing them. She’s doing that right now with millionaire bars, which can only be a good thing;) Her problem is she makes already rich things richer.. too rich for my taste.

By: Melissa H.

Melissa H. — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 20:08:58 +0000

Thank you for posting this recipe!! My husband is from Missouri and every time we visit his grandparents in the St. Louis area we always stop at Dierberg’s to pick up a gooey butter cake. I’m not a huge fan of it because it’s too rich so I make Paula Deen’s Pumpkin Gooey Butter cake to cut the sweetness. However, my husband wants me to make “real” gooey butter cake and your recipe looks like it’s the one! I’ll have to try it and see if it compares. Based on the comments, I’m sure it will be great!

By: Jenny S.

Jenny S. — Fri, 29 May 2009 07:06:10 +0000

I have to say, your “real” version looks amazing and I can’t wait to try it! I have tried Paula’s version, but not with cream cheese. My family really likes pumpkin gooey butter cakes, which is a great combo. My first time eating gooey butter cake was at the Lady and Sons and it was a sweet potato gooey butter cake, which was also fabulous. I can only imagine a pumpkin or sweet potato version of your St. Louis Gooey Butter cake…mmmmmmmm!!!

By: Ulrike

Ulrike — Thu, 28 May 2009 15:17:21 +0000

Or “Suzanne”, even?

(Lisa’s my baby sister. I’m allowed to tease her.)

By: Destiny D

Destiny D — Thu, 28 May 2009 00:20:35 +0000

Oh my word, girl. Even though I share the same home state as Miss Paula, after reading your blog for a year or more now, I would most definitely make one of your recipes over hers anytime. Yours are tried and true! Thanks for being our personal taste kitchen. Making this cake is next on my to-do list!Destiny

By: LisaAJB

LisaAJB — Wed, 27 May 2009 23:20:52 +0000

Have I ever told you that you’re my hero? Because you’re my hero. Some days when it’s an awful day at work I tell myself, “When I grow up, I want to be Suzan.” Hope you’re having a great day on the farm.

By: Donna

Donna — Wed, 27 May 2009 22:25:29 +0000

I had gooey butter cake in the 70′s. My ex SIL’s mother made it..it was good!

I love TEXAS SHEET CAKE – YUM!!!!! Chocolate (milk chocolate!),a tad of cinnamon (or not) and toasted pecans on top. HEAVEN

By: Sarah in Sanford

Sarah in Sanford — Wed, 27 May 2009 21:59:30 +0000

I just had a piece of gooey butter cake at an ice cream social at church a few days ago. I said the same thing you did, “Where have you been all my life”. My friend Bonnie made it and she is a huge Paula Deen fan so she probably made Paula’s version. Yummm!

By: JOJO

JOJO — Wed, 27 May 2009 20:23:00 +0000

I WOULD TAKE SUZANNE”S RECIPES ANY DAY OVER THOSE TV “COOKS”–WE KNOW WHERE THE GOOD STUFF IS AND WHO IS A REAL COOK!