I making 5 dozen of....

these Ooey Gooey cakes!! They are a favorite of a local HS boy and his mama orders them from me for the Football after party!! I hope y'all enjoy the different variations!! Paula Deen is the best for desserts, easy peasy and yummy! I am making the Peanut Butter.. they are so good, I never add the extra egg and I make them all of the time!! The Pumpkin are great for Thanksgiving they taste like Pumpkin Cheesecake!!
Cake

1 (18.25-ounce) box yellow cake mix

1 egg

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

Filling

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

2 eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 (16-ounce) box confectioners' sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 13x9x2-inch baking pan.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well. Pat into the bottom of prepared pan and set aside.

Still using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth; add eggs and vanilla. Dump in confectioners' sugar and beat well. Reduce speed of mixer and slowly pour in butter. Mix well.

Pour filling onto cake mixture and spread evenly. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Don't be afraid to make a judgment call on the cooking time, because oven temperatures can vary. You want the center to be a little gooey, so don't bake it past that point!

Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Cut into squares. Just remember that these wonderful little cakes are very, very rich, and a little will go a long way-even for piggies like me!

Pumpkin Gooey: This variation has to be at the top of my list, especially around Thanksgiving. For the cake part, I sometimes use a spice cake mix. I have even used a chocolate cake mix, but I think my favorite is the basic yellow cake mix. Follow the original recipe, adding a 15-ounce can of pumpkin pie filling and an extra egg to the cream cheese filling. Bake as usual, remove from oven, and allow to cool. Cut into squares and top each square with a pecan half. Serve with a dollop of fresh whipped cream. I promise you'll never want pumpkin pie again!

Pineapple Gooey: Add a 20-ounce can of drained crushed pineapple and an extra egg to the cream cheese filling. Proceed as directed above.

Lemon Gooey: Use a lemon cake mix in place of the yellow cake. Add the juice (approximately 1/4 cup) and zest of 2 lemons to the cream cheese filling. Proceed: as directed above.

Carrot Cake Gooey: Use a spice cake mix, and add 1 cup chopped nuts and 1 1/2 cup finely grated carrots to the cream cheese filling. Proceed as directed above.

Peanut Butter Gooey: Use a chocolate cake mix. Add 1 cup creamy peanut butter and an extra egg to cream cheese filling. You can sprinkle the top of batter with 1 cup chopped peanuts if you like. Proceed as directed above.

Chocolate Chip Gooey: Use either yellow or chocolate cake mix. Sprinkle 1 cup chocolate chips and 1 cup chopped nuts on top of filling. Proceed as directed above.

Banana Gooey: Use a yellow cake mix. Prepare cream cheese filling as directed, beating in 2 ripe bananas and an extra egg. Proceed as directed above.

Nutty Gooey: Use a yellow cake mix, and add 1 cup chopped nuts to the cake mixture. Proceed as directed above.

Chippy Gooey: Stir 1 cup white chocolate chips, peanut butter chocolate chips, butterscotch morsels, Heath Almond Toffee Bits or Heath Milk Chocolate Toffee Bits into filling. Proceed as directed above.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

More From This Book:

The Bag Lady's Favorite Chocolate Pound Cake

Gooey Butter Cakes

I am so excited...

my husband, who thinks all you have to do is mow, rake and spray weed killer, has succumbed; he hired a landscaper!!!!!!!!!!!! YAY! My yard is a hot mess! We have good intentions, things start out well and then bam.. ghetto yard again. I can't take it.. I said we need a "professional" that, you know, knows what he is doing! I said "honey, really, you wouldn't want ME to do your job, right"? He arrives today at 11:00am and I am so happy that I made the landscaper guy some chicken salad.. you know, to butter him up over the price! I think a "finally" coiffed yard is just as important as a "finely" coiffed head!

I Wish....

it were cooler and leaves were turning, but here in ol Columbia, SC the temperature will be topping out at, oh, 96 degrees! I , however, still sport remnants of summer color on my cheeks, which is nice, but we NEED a reprieve!

a sad day for Gamecocks everywhere...

Former USC Gamecock standout and Broncos WR Kenny McKinley ended his life last night. This young man was a father and only 23 years old. He was recently put on the injured reserve list , but seemed according to people around him ok. He was at the recent USC vs. Georgia game grinning that famous grin and signing anything in sight for the children everywhere! Such a tragedy and something my children do not comprehend. We never truly know what is going on with someone do we?

I refuse to do this on the weekend and now look...

my pile is actually twice this size!! How in the name of heaven does it pile up so quick? I don't mind doing laundry, in fact, I actually like it, but I LOATHE and DESPISE, putting it all away!! Three girls, 14, 10 and 7, you can picture the pile right? Well. back to the grind! Have a great Monday, at least my home will smell Downey fresh.

Guess what I just purchased???

I have got to thumb through this quick before I have to pick the girlies up from school and head to a tennis match!! I feel like I have died and gone back to 1981!!

TTFN,
Beth aka Buffy

Last weekend of summer...

We had a great summer, as always!! Fun days with friends at our Club.. Weekends at Sullivan's Island and the Isle of Palms with good friends and a great lunch at Poe's! Spend the nights with grandma. Catching fireflies, blowing bubbles and letting ice cream cones melt down their arms( quickly spraying that off with the hose). Our Sunday grill with daddy spoiling us with his homemade Pimento cheese burgers and desserts. Big fat juicy Watermelons, they were so good this year. Yummy peaches and blueberry crisps. Little girls with tan lines and pink cheeks.. I love it it all. It has been so relentlessly hot this summer, but I wouldn't trade one minute of it!! Happy Labor Day!!

Here we go...

GAMECOCKS, here we go..... Don't you just LOVE College football? Beers on ice, wine in the fridge, appetizers made.... Hubby is going with his buddy and the girls and I will visit the neighbors for kickoff!! Going to get the girlies from school and YES they are ALL sporting their Garnet and Black, and Gamecock Grosgrain ribbons of course!!