Gooey butter cake is the representative dessert of St. Louis and has thus become the representative dessert of the Show-Me State. Adding pumpkin elevates this ooey gooey dessert to a whole new level. Perfect for Halloween or anytime of the year.

PUMPKIN GOOEY BUTTER CAKE

Courtesy of Park Avenue Coffee, St. Louis

Ingredients:

Crust
18.25-ounce box yellow cake mix
1 egg
4 ounces butter

Filling
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
6-ounces of canned pumpkin
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 pound powdered sugar
4 ounces butter, melted

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a mixer, dump box of yellow cake mix, 1 egg, and 4 ounces of butter. Mix until it’s a stiff dough.

3. Spray a 9-by-13-inch pan with cooking spray. Spread the dough evenly over the bottom of the pan.

4. In the same mixer, add the 2 eggs, vanilla, and the 4 ounces of melted butter. Mix until combined. Slowly add the cream cheese until combined, then add canned pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice.

5. Add half of the powdered sugar, mix, then add the other half, and mix until all is combined. Pour into the crust and bake for 45 minutes.

Tip: It’s called a gooey butter cake for a reason. The filling will still move in the middle of the pan a little when you take it out but will firm up when it cools down.

Find out where to get the best gooey butter cake in the St. Louis area here.

Article originally published in the October 2015 issue of Missouri Life.