Photo courtesy of Cook's Country

I can’t count the number of times that visiting food writers and cookbook authors have asked me about gooey butter cake. They’re invariably intrigued. What is it, they ask? It is what it sounds like, I say — a buttery cake with a sweet, gooey topping. I’ve pointed them to classic recipes with a yeast-dough crust, and to the ever-popular cake mix version.

Cali Rich of Cook’s Country magazine took those questions and ran with them. Her magazine (along with its sibling, Cook’s Illustrated) is known for experimenting with recipes until they reach perfection. The secrets to her success, as reported in the November issue: vanilla instant pudding mix (”a few tablespoons … added flavor and provided the creamy, gooey-yet-sliceable texture I’d been looking for”) and light corn syrup (”the secret to a gooey topping”).

Here’s the recipe, plus variations for butterscotch and chocolate versions.

ST. LOUIS GOOEY BUTTER CAKE
Yield: 9 servings

For dough:
1/4 cup whole milk , heated to 100 degrees
1 1/2 teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces and softened

For topping:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons instant vanilla pudding mix
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
1. For the dough: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. When oven reaches 200 degrees, shut oven off. Line 8-inch square baking pan with foil sling. Grease foil and medium bowl.

2. In bowl of standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, mix milk and yeast on low speed until yeast dissolves. Add sugar, eggs, vanilla, salt, and flour and mix until combined, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium-low and add butter, one piece at a time, until incorporated, then continue mixing for 5 minutes. Transfer batter to greased bowl, cover with plastic, and place in warm oven. Let rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes. Spread batter in prepared pan. Heat oven to 350 degrees.

3. For the topping: In bowl of standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat granulated sugar, butter, and cream cheese on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low and add corn syrup, egg, and vanilla until combined. Add flour and pudding mix and mix until just incorporated. Portion dollops of topping evenly over batter, then spread into even layer.

4. Once oven is fully heated, bake until exterior is golden and center of topping is just beginning to color (center should jiggle slightly when pan is shaken), about 25 minutes. Cool in pan at least 3 hours. Use foil overhang to lift cake from pan. Dust cake with confectioners’ sugar. Serve. (Cake can be refrigerated for 2 days.)

BUTTERSCOTCH GOOEY BUTTER CAKE: For dough, substitute ¼ cup packed light brown sugar for granulated sugar in step 2. For topping, substitute 3 tablespoons instant butterscotch pudding mix for vanilla pudding mix in step 3.

CHOCOLATE GOOEY BUTTER CAKE: For dough, replace 3 tablespoons flour with equal amount of Dutch-processed cocoa in step 2. For topping, substitute 3 tablespoons instant chocolate pudding mix for vanilla pudding mix in step 3.