Gooey Butter Cake

My mother-in-law wanted me to make a "gooey cake", a cake she had tried recently and loved.  I had never heard of this kind of cake, and the way it was described being gooey in the middle did not sound too good.  However, she swore by this cake, saying it was so great.  So, for her birthday I gave it a try.  It turned out to be a hit, although the next time I make it, I plan to make one minor modification to the recipe.

I used this Paula Deen recipe for the Gooey Butter Cake.

Ingredients
The ingredients for this cake are divided into two parts, those needed for the crust and those for the filling.

Crust:
1 18 1/4-ounce package yellow cake mix
1 egg
8 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling:
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 tablespoons butter, melted
1 lb powdered sugar (half a bag, if using a 2 lb bag)

First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Mix together the cake mix, 1 egg, and the butter. 

The mixture will be kind of clumpy and thick. Spread the mixture on the bottom of a greased baking dish.

I did not do it this time, but next time, I plan to pour a layer of chopped pecans on top of the bottom layer.  That ingredient was not included in the original recipe, but some that tried the cake said pecans would have been the perfect addition.  When they suggested pecans, I knew exactly where they should go, on top this crusty layer.

Next work on the filling, beating the cream cheese first, and adding the other two eggs, vanilla extract and melted butter together.  Blend well. 

Add the powdered sugar and continue to blend.

Pour the filling over the bottom layer of the cake. 

Spread the filling evenly in the pan.

Bake in the oven for 40 - 45 minutes.  The original recipe advises not to over bake because the center is supposed to be gooey.  Once the cake has cooled, sprinkle powdered sugar on top.