Gooey Strawberry Cheesecake Butter Cake

Strawberry cheesecake meets gooey butter cake! This cake has all the flavors of a slice of strawberry cheesecake, but with a gooey top and soft cakey bottom. It's made up of 3 easy to prepare layers: a simple lemon butter cake base, a pie inspired strawberry filling, and all topped off with a gooey cream cheese mixture. Serve this cake fresh for an extra gooey bite or let it firm up in the fridge for a slightly more set topping!

what is gooey butter cake?

It's quite literally a butter cake with a gooey top! Gooey butter cake traditionally involves 2 main components: a sturdy cake bottom and a loose cream cheese top. The layers are poured on top of each other and then baked together. The cake sets like a normal butter cake - almost like a pound cake - while the topping remains soft and gooey - kind of like a pudding or custard.

The cake batter is designed to be slightly thicker so it doesn't get displaced when you pour the cheese on top and so it doesn't get soggy from all the gooiness. This recipe has all that going on PLUS a hidden layer of strawberries for a seasonal twist.

how sweet is this cake?

This cake is on the sweeter side of things (kind of in the same ballpark as a cinnamon roll in terms of sweetness!) It needs to be sweet because: 1) sugar makes for a tender cake base, 2) the strawberries add some sweetness of their own, and 3) the cream cheese topping needs a good amount of powdered sugar to reach the right viscosity.

ANNNND gooey butter cake is traditionally topped with MORE powdered sugar before serving - although that is optional. So safe to say... it's indulgent.

The addition of salt is particularly important in a recipe like this because it helps cut through all those layers of sugar. It really helps keep everything from becoming sickeningly sweet. But with all that in mind, you do need a bit of a sweet tooth to enjoy this cake!

lemon butter cake

This recipe starts with the butter cake bottom. When I was creating this recipe, I wanted a cake that wouldn't dome a lot as it bakes to maintain an even-ish top. I also wanted a cake that was both sturdy enough to hold up against the 2 top layers but still tender, moist, and soft!

After testing out a few ok cakes, I finally landed on the perfect base for this recipe: a lemon cake made using the reverse creaming method! Cakes made with reverse creaming usually have a sturdier crumb, don't dome much in the oven, but are still INCREDIBLY tender and light. This makes it the perfect base in terms of structure and softness.

Not only does the reverse creaming method offer a better texture and rise, it's also easier and more fail-proof! To make the cake batter, we start by dropping all the dry ingredients into a bowl along with the butter. The butter is then cut into the dry ingredients - like you would when making pie crust - until it's super fine and crumbly. Then, the wet ingredients are whisked in to complete the cake batter. 2 main steps and that's it! Spread the batter into the bottom of your prepared pan and then move onto the next layers.

strawberry and cream cheese layers

Once the cake batter is made, it's time to complete the top layers. We're kind of doing these steps out of order by starting with the cream cheese topping. If you mix the strawberry filling ingredients together and let them sit for too long, the sugar will draw out the water in the strawberries. This will negatively impact the texture and flavor.

Like the cake, the cream cheese topping also comes together in 2 main steps. First, cream cheese and powdered sugar are mixed together to combine. Make sure to add the powdered sugar in 2 additions to ensure it whips up easily and smoothly. Then, drop in all the remaining ingredients for the topping and whisk to combine. You can do all of this in the same bowl you made the cake batter in to make cleanup a bit easier.

Now set the cream cheese mixture off to the side while you prep the strawberry layer. The strawberry layer is also insanely easy to make. Simply mix together all the ingredients and you're ready to assemble the cake!

layering and baking

Once all the cake components are ready, it's time to layer and bake it! Sprinkle the strawberry layer evenly on top of the cake batter in your baking pan. Leave a tiny border around the edges to keep the juices from spilling out the sides. Then, the cream cheese topping is poured on top of everything to complete the layers.

When baking this cake, you can't really use a skewer test to see if it's cooked through because of all the gooey layers on top. Instead, you'll know it's ready to come out of the oven when the top is evenly puffed and golden brown along the edges. The top will be very jiggly while it's hot but it will set up as it cools.

This cake is very delicate and difficult to unmold when it's fresh from the oven, so it's important to let it cool completely in the pan before unlatching the sides. You can serve this cake at room temperature for an extra gooey slice or pop it into the fridge for 1 to 2 hours beforehand for a firmer top!

Before unlatching the pan, run a pairing knife around the sides to make sure there's no stuck on cake. I find an oiled knife is best for this because the cake will want to stick and drag with the knife as well. Once the cake's out of the pan, generously dust the top with powdered sugar before slicing and serving!

how to keep all the layers in place

This cake has 3 different layers and they surprisingly stay in place very well! But that being said, the best tip to ensure none of the layers move around is by sprinkling / pouring each layer on evenly.

The cake layer goes on first - so there's obviously no risk of it moving any other layer out of place. When it's time to sprinkle over the strawberries, try to get them as evenly as possible while you're sprinkling them: i.e. avoid dropping them all in one place then trying to spread them out. This way you won't have to move anything around afterwards and there's less risk of moving the cake layer.

The same goes for the cream cheese topping. Try your best to pour it evenly on top so you don't need to move anything around to get it properly covered. If you do find a few spots that didn't get fully covered in the cream cheese topping, lightly tap the pan on your counter to help it level and even out.

more tips

• springform pan: You can make this cake in a regular cake pan, but you'd need to serve it right from the pan - otherwise it's very difficult to pull it out.
• flour: Always measure flour either by weight or (if using cups) by spoon and leveling to ensure accurate and consistent results!
• strawberries: I recommend using fresh strawberries - frozen strawberries release too much liquid and can make your cake soggy. Also on the topic of strawberries: avoid making the strawberry filling until right before assembling the layers. The sugar will start to draw out moisture from the strawberries as they sit, which (again) can make the cake soggy if it sits for too long.
• cream cheese: Use block cream cheese NOT spread. Cream cheese sold in blocks / bricks is made for baking - cream cheese spread is too soft.
• cooling: I already kind of mentioned this above, but it's important to cool the cake completely in the pan before trying to get it out. It's SUPER soft when it's warm.
• storage: Because this cake is topped with a cream cheese mixture, it needs to be stored in the fridge after it cools. If you like it extra gooey, it's best served within about 2 to 3 hours of baking. Keep covered with plastic wrap and this cake will keep for up to 4 days in the fridge.

check out these other recipes!

• Cinnamon Roll Gooey Butter Cake
• Ooey Gooey Magic Bars
• Lemon Brownies
• Lemon Curd Cake

Lastly, if you made this or any of my recipes, be sure to leave a comment and review below! I love hearing your thoughts! Also tag me on Instagram @eatsdelightfulblog so I can see what you're making.

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Enjoy!

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