Food and Recipes Recipes Gooey Butter Cake This dessert's secret? Malted milk powder. By Liv Dansky Liv Dansky Liv is a recipe tester and developer with three years of experience working in the Dotdash Meredith Food Studios. She grew up in Denver, Colorado where she struggled to breathe and bake at altitude. Liv left the Mile High City to earn a BA from Washington University in St. Louis and a Diplôme de Cuisine from Le Cordon Bleu in London. After graduation, she dabbled in restaurant-focused public relations and spent time working in professional kitchens in Denver and Atlanta before finding her way to Dotdash Meredith. When Liv is not cooking or eating for work, she can be found cooking and eating for fun with an occasional run or tennis match between meals. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Published on March 25, 2022 Print Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Photographer: Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn Active Time: 25 mins Total Time: 2 hrs Servings: 16 It's called cake, but sugar-dusted squares of this rich dessert resemble thick bar cookies. The tender cookie base is topped with buttery, sweet filling that keeps things deliciously ooey and gooey. The recipe has deep roots in St. Louis, where nearly every family has their own favorite version, but Gooey Butter Cake is sure to win over dessert fans across the country. The recipe calls for malted milk powder, which adds toasty, cooked-milk flavor along the lines of butterscotch or toffee. It also helps baked goods brown. Ingredients Crust Cooking spray 1 ¼ cups (about 5 ⅜ ounces) all-purpose flour ¾ cup packed light brown sugar 1 tablespoon malted milk powder 1 teaspoon baking powder ¼ teaspoon kosher salt 1 large egg ½ cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter, melted Filling ¾ cup (6 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 cup packed light brown sugar 1 large egg 1 teaspoon almond extract ¼ cup honey 2 tablespoons tap water 1 cup (about 4 ¼ ounces) all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon malted milk powder ½ teaspoon kosher salt Powdered sugar, for serving Directions Prepare the Crust: Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a 9- x 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray, and line pan with parchment paper. Whisk together flour, sugar, malted milk powder, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk in egg and melted butter until combined into a smooth and shiny dough. Transfer dough to prepared pan, and press with your fingers to evenly cover bottom of pan. Prepare the Filling: Beat butter and sugar with a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add egg and almond extract; beat until combined, about 1 minute, scraping down sides of bowl if needed. Add honey and 2 tablespoons tap water; beat until combined, about 30 seconds. Add flour, malted milk powder, and salt; beat on low until combined, about 1 minute. Transfer filling to prepared pan, and spread evenly over crust. Bake in preheated oven until top is golden brown and edges begin to pull away from sides of pan, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven, and let cool at room temperature, about 1 hour. Cut into squares, and dust with powdered sugar. Print