Chocolate Gooey Butter Cake

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This Chocolate Gooey Butter Cake is part molten lava cake, part brownie and part cheesecake, all rolled up into one indulgent dessert! The key is to not overbake it. It features a super fudgy and chocolatey cake bottom, a gooey and silky chocolate cheesecake filling and a delicately crisp crackly top. It's absolutely divine and perfect for chocolate lovers!

Chocolate gooey butter cake dusted with cocoa powder and topped with flaky sea salt, are cut in slices and sitting on a cake plate.

Gosh, this Chocolate Gooey Butter Cake is off-the-charts good! It's decadent, indulgent and incredibly delicious. It's a bit on the sweet side, so topping it with unsweetened cocoa powder and flaky sea salt is a must! If you are concerned with the sweetness, you can reduce the powdered sugar in the filling by ½ a cup to ¾ cup. The only caveat is that you will lose that crisp crackly top, but don't worry, it will still taste amazing!

I made a gooey butter carrot cake version last year that you may also enjoy. It was a show stopper and a huge hit for our Easter table! For more stunning desserts, be sure to check out this pistachio and rose olive oil cake, lemon icebox cake, or black forest eton mess!

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♡ Why You Will Love This Chocolate Gooey Butter Cake
Ingredient Notes
Step-By-Step Instructions
💡 Tip
Substitutions
Key Equipment
Storage
⭐️ Expert Tips
FAQ
You May Also Like...
♡ Did you try this recipe?
📖 Recipe

♡ Why You Will Love This Chocolate Gooey Butter Cake

Rich chocolate flavor. Dutch-process cocoa powder with the addition of espresso powder creates deep rich chocolate flavor.
Texture. The chocolate cake base is chewy and fudgy, which pairs nicely with the ooey gooey chocolate layer and then you get a delightful crispness from the top layer. It all makes for the most delicious bite!
Made from scratch. Most gooey cake recipes are made with box cake mix, but I like making the cake from scratch because it contains simple pantry ingredients and is a bit cleaner.
Perfect for a crowd. This cake is a rich and sweet, so you can serve smaller slices.

Ingredient Notes

Here are some notes about all the ingredients used in this Gooey Chocolate Butter Cake. Quantities and full instructions are in the recipe card below!

Chocolate gooey butter cake ingredients, including all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, butter, vanilla, espresso, sour cream, egg, melted butter, oil and brown sugar.

Chocolate Cake Layer

All-Purpose Flour
Dutch-Process Cocoa Powder - For deep chocolate flavor, I recommend using Dutch cocoa powder rather than natural cocoa powder. I'm using Droste Dutch cocoa powder, but I've also used Ghiradelli and Hershey's Special Dark in the past with great results.
Fine Espresso Powder - Enhances the chocolate flavor.
Baking Powder - Helps the cake layer rise.
Salt - Balances the flavor and sweetness.
Unsalted Butter + Oil - The butter adds flavor and the oil keeps the cake moist.
Brown Sugar - Adds flavor and moisture.
Egg - Helps batter emulsify and adds structure.
Sour Cream - Adds moisture. Make sure to use full-fat sour cream. You can also substitute with Greek yogurt.
Vanilla Extract - For flavor.

Cream cheese, unsweetened cocoa powder, powdered sugar, egg and vanilla are the ingredients for the gooey layer.

Gooey Chocolate Layer

Cream Cheese - Make sure to use full-fat cream cheese brick. Do not use cream cheese spread or whipped cream cheese. For a lump-free filling, you'll want to make sure that it's softened to room temperature.
Dutch-Process Cocoa Powder
Powdered Sugar - Also known as icing sugar, confectioners' sugar.
Egg - Adds structure.
Vanilla - For flavor. You can use vanilla extract or vanilla paste.

*See recipe card for quantities.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Here are step-by-step photos and instructions on how to make this Chocolate Gooey Butter Cake! Please find detailed instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.

All-purpose flour, dutch-process cocoa powder, baking powder and salt are whisked together in a small glass bowl.

Step 1. Combine Dry Ingredients - In a small bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, Dutch cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder and salt.

Melted butter, brown sugar and vanilla are in a mixing bowl.

Step 2. Combine Wet Ingredients - In a medium bowl, whisk together melted butter, brown sugar and vanilla until combined.

Step 3. Whisk in the egg until incorporated.

Sour cream is added to the wet ingredients.

Step 4. Then mix in the sour cream.

Dry ingredients are sifted into the wet ingredients.

Step 5. Combine Dry & Wet Ingredients - Sift in the flour mixture and using a rubber spatula, fold until just combined. The batter will be thick.

The chocolate cake batter is spread on the bottom of the springform pan.

Step 6. Using an offset spatula, evenly spread the batter to the bottom of a prepared round, 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.

💡 Tip

Generously grease and line your pan! Butter the bottom and up the sides of the springform pan, then line the bottom and sides of the pan with parchment paper to ensure the cake will release cleanly. During testing, I didn't grease the sides of the pan enough and my cake stuck to the pan. 😅

Softened cream cheese, Dutch-process cocoa powder, powdered sugar and vanilla extract are in a large glass bowl.

Step 7. Make Gooey Chocolate Layer - Add cream cheese, vanilla, all of the cocoa powder and 1 cup of powdered sugar to a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat on low speed and then increase to medium until combined. Gradually add the remaining powdered sugar and beat until fully mixed.

An egg is added to the cream cheese, cocoa powder and powdered sugar mixture.

Step 8. Scrape down the bowl and then whisk in the egg until incorporated.

Chocolate gooey layer is added on top of the chocolate cake layer.

Step 9. Spread the gooey chocolate layer over the cake batter and knock out any air bubbles by lifting and dropping the pan on the counter a few times.

Chocolate gooey butter cake is baked and sitting in a wire rack to cool.

Step 10. Bake - Bake at 350ºF (180ºC) for 35 to 40 minutes. It's ready when the edges are set, the top is shiny and slightly puffed and the cake jiggles in the center like jello. Do not overbake it.

Step 11. Serve - Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before releasing the sides of the pan. Serve slightly warm or cool completely at room temperature before serving. Dust with unsweetened cocoa powder and flaky sea salt and enjoy!

Chocolate gooey butter cake dusted with cocoa powder is sitting on a cake plate.

Substitutions

For the Chocolate Cake Layer 🍫🍰

Unsweetened Cocoa Powder - I'd recommend sticking with Dutch cocoa powder as I have not tested this cake with natural cocoa powder.
Brown Sugar - Light or dark brown sugar works. You can use all granulated white sugar if you are out of brown sugar.
Espresso Powder - You can omit it if you don't have any on hand.
Sour Cream - You can easily replace with plain Greek yogurt.
Neutral Oil - You can use Avocado, Canola, Vegetable, Grapeseed, light olive oil or refined Coconut Oil

Key Equipment

9-inch (23cm) Springform Cake Pan
Electric Mixer
Bowls
Spatula
Whisk
Offset Spatula
Parchment Paper

Storage

Room Temperature - You can store chocolate gooey butter cake on the counter in an airtight container for up 2 days.
Refrigerator - Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. It tastes amazing cold and straight out of the fridge or you can let it come to room temperature.
Freezer - Chocolate gooey butter cake surprisingly freezes well! Cool completely and wrap individual pieces in plastic wrap. Store in freezer bags for up to 2 months. Thaw on the counter until it comes to room temperature, about 1 to 2 hours depending on the size of the slices.

⭐️ Expert Tips

Use a kitchen scale to weigh all your ingredients. Baking in grams is the best and most accurate way to bake! All my recipes include gram conversions based on King Arthur's Weight Chart.

If you are not using a kitchen scale, measure your flour correctly. Fluff and aerate your flour first, then spoon into your measuring cup and finally level off with the back of a butter knife. Do not pack it in, as it will add too much flour.

Do not overbake. We want the top layer to be soft and gooey. It should only take 35 to 40 minutes.

Line your springform pan with parchment paper. For easy removal generously butter the bottom and sides of the pan and then line with parchment paper. I lined both the bottom, and sides of the pan.

Make sure you ingredients are at room temperature. This includes the eggs, sour cream and cream cheese.

FAQ

What is gooey butter cake?

Gooey Butter Cake is a St. Louis, Missouri treat, but is popular throughout the midwest (U.S.A). Ooey gooey cake consists of two layers; a dense butter cake base and a sweet gooey cream cheese/butter topping.

I don't have a springform pan. Can I still make this recipe?

Yes, you can bake this in a regular round 9-inch (23 cm) baking pan. Just line it with one large whole piece of parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.

How do you know when gooey butter cake is done?

Using a toothpick will not work for butter cake. Give it a little jiggle and it's ready when it wobbles like jello. The top should be slightly puffy and shiny, and the edge should be crackly.

Can I make this cake ahead?

Yes, you can make it a few days in advanced. Allow to come to room temperature for about an hour before serving. Dust with cocoa powder and sprinkle with flakey sea salt and enjoy!

What's Dutch-process cocoa powder?

Dutch cocoa powder has undergone a process of dealkalization, in which the natural acidity from chocolate is strip away, leaving you with a smoother and rich chocolate flavor. It's also darker in color and has a reddish tint. Natural cocoa powder is lighter in color, acidic, and sharp in flavor.