Makes: One 13 × 9-inch cake, at least 12 servings
Time: 1¼ hours, plus time to rise
This labor of love is ideal for snow days and slumber parties. It looks like a lemon bar, but it tastes like nothing else—an oozing toffee-ish topping over a sturdy, bready crumb. Eat the day (or night) that it’s baked to enjoy maximum gooeyness.
1. To make the cake layer: Grease a 13 × 9-inch pan. In a small bowl, mix together the warm milk and yeast. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes, until the mixture begins to foam slightly. Set aside.
2. Whisk together the flour and salt in a medium bowl and set aside. In a separate bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the butter and granulated sugar until smooth. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the flour to the egg mixture, combining by hand and alternating with the milk. Stir until just smooth. This will be a dense, slightly elastic dough.
3. Turn the dough out into the prepared pan. Press the dough evenly into the pan to fill it. Cover the pan loosely with a dish towel or plastic wrap and place in a warm spot to rise, about 3 hours. The cake should double in size and look bubbly and irregular.
4. To make the topping: Use an electric mixer to cream the butter and sugar until smooth. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until combined. Whisk together the flour and salt, then gradually add it to the butter mixture, alternating with the milk; the mixture should be spreadable but not too runny. Set aside.
5. Heat the oven to 350°F. Use a fork to prick a few holes into the dough so that it doesn’t bubble too much. Spoon the topping in generous dollops over the surface of the cake, then gently connect the dollops, spreading the topping evenly over the dough. Bake until the cake is a light golden brown on top, 35 to 45 minutes. The cake will still be liquid in the center. Serve slightly warm or cool.
GOOEY BUTTER CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE TOPPING Offset the buttery cake with a bitter chocolate topping: Melt 2 ounces dark chocolate in the microwave or a double boiler. After adding the eggs, stir the melted dark chocolate into the topping. Add just enough milk so that the mixture is spreadable but not too runny.
LEMON GOOEY BUTTER CAKE The cake version of a classic lemon bar: Stir 1 tablespoon lemon zest into the dry ingredients. For the topping, add 3 tablespoons lemon juice to the batter with the eggs.
TOASTED COCONUT GOOEY BUTTER CAKE Toasted coconut adds nuttiness and texture to the cake: Substitute coconut milk for the milk in both the cake and the topping. Sprinkle ⅓ cup shredded unsweetened coconut over the topping before baking. If the coconut becomes too dark while baking, tent the cake loosely with a piece of aluminum foil.
MAPLE SPICE GOOEY BUTTER CAKE For the cake, whisk 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon cardamom, and ¼ teaspoon ground cloves into the dry ingredients. For the topping, substitute maple syrup for ½ cup of the superfine sugar.
BLUEBERRY GOOEY BUTTER CAKE A touch of tart fruit will brighten this dense cake: For the topping, beat 1 tablespoon grated orange zest into the batter with the eggs. Sprinkle ⅓ cup fresh blueberries over the topping before baking.
BROWN SUGAR GOOEY BUTTER CAKE For a hint of molasses: Substitute brown sugar for the granulated sugar in the cake.