Kitchen Adventures 16.3

The monthly birthday party at work is something everyone in the office anticipates. I try to make something that the honorees like since it is their day. We have quite a few ladies on our staff, so it should come as no surprise that chocolate desserts frequently make the menu. They all have their favorites and I make the special ones again and again on request. Baking is how I show people I care about them, so this is my special way of saying "thank you" to all my co-workers and students for their hard work.

One of the all-time favorites is the chocolate gooey butter cookie recipe. They all get excited when they see these cookies. I like making these because I can easily make them gluten-free for those in our office that need that. This cookie recipe is based off of a cake recipe, though, which not many of them knew. Both of these come from Paula Deen at the Food Network. That should have been obvious from the "gooey butter" title. :)

This cake is as delicious as the title would suggest. This can also be easily converted into a gluten-free dessert, just like the cookies. You can't even tell the difference between the two, so I just always make it gluten-free so that I know everyone at work can have some.

Double Chocolate Gooey Butter Cake

Ingredients:

2 sticks butter, melted
1 package chocolate cake mix (or gluten-free chocolate or devil's food cake mix)
1 egg, plus 2 eggs
1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
3 to 4 T cocoa powder
1 16 oz. box (2 c.) powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. chopped nuts (I omitted this)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Lightly grease a 9"x13" baking pan. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, 1 egg and one stick melted butter. Stir until well blended. Pat mixture into pan and set aside. This will be thick and crumbly, but that's how it's supposed to be. In a stand mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the remaining 2 eggs and the cocoa powder. Lower the mixer speed and add the powdered sugar. Continue beating until the ingredients are well mixed. Slowly add the remaining 1 stick melted butter and the vanilla, continuing to beat the mixture until smooth. If using nuts, stir them in with a rubber spatula. Spread the filling over the cake mixture in the pan.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Be careful not to overcook the cake; the center should still be a little gooey when finished. Let the cake partially cool on a wire rack before cutting into pieces.

I unfortunately do not have an image for this cake, but picture a deliciously decadent chocolate cake and you've got it. :)