Available Only in St. Louis: Gooey Butter Cake

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Available in almost every bakery and supermarket in the St. Louis area, the gooey butter cake is a coffee cake that is unique in taste, texture and appearance. I have never seen it outside of my home town. Paula Deen gives a recipe that uses cream cheese and yellow cake mix, but that is mistaking cubic zirconium for a diamond.

I have wonderful memories of going to the old St. Louis Bakery in the South County Mall on Saturdays with my mom, and buying gooey butter cakes there that were so gooey that once they were cut, they had to be stored at a tilt so the goo wouldn't run all over. Here's the authentic recipe. It's a lot of work, but so worth it when paired with a cup of hot black coffee!

Dough:
1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees)
4 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
1/2 cup warm milk (110 degrees)
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided

Gooey butter topping:
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
Dash salt
1 egg
1/4 cup light corn syrup
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Confectioners' sugar, for sprinkling

For dough, combine water and yeast in mixing bowl of electric mixer; hand-whisk to mix, then let stand a few minutes. Stir in milk, sugar, vanilla, butter, egg, salt, and 2 cups of the flour. Switch to dough hook and knead on slow speed, sprinkling in as much of the remaining 1/2 cup flour as needed, until dough is smooth, about 5 to 8 minutes. Cover bowl with a towel and let dough rise in warm, draft-free place 45 to 60 minutes, or until almost doubled.

Meanwhile, prepare gooey butter topping. Combine granulated sugar, butter, salt, egg, corn syrup, flour, water and vanilla in work bowl of food processor fitted with metal blade; process 20 to 30 seconds, or until mixture is a smooth paste. (Or beat with electric mixer until well mixed.)

To assemble: Generously spray two 9-inch square baking pans with nonstick cooking spray. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Gently punch down dough. Divide dough into two equal pieces. Press one portion into each prepared pan, pressing lightly to fit. Use fingertips to crimp edges about halfway up side of pan to make a border (so gooey butter will not run underneath). Use a fork to prick a few holes in dough to prevent bubbling (do not prick dough all the way through). Divide gooey butter into two equal portions; spread over dough in each pan. Let stand, uncovered, 25 minutes.

Place pans on prepared baking sheet. Bake in preheated 375-degree oven 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake 15 minutes. Topping should be bubbly and golden brown. Do not overbake; topping will not be gooey if cakes are baked too long.

Remove pans from oven and transfer to wire racks to cool until the topping settles and cake is just a bit warmer than room temperature. Sprinkle tops with confectioners' sugar.
Serve warm or at room temperature.

Yield: 2 cakes; 10 to 12 servings each.