There was some dispute amongst me and my friends as to where these ooey gooey bars actually orginated, but wherever they did, Momofuku’s Milk Bar definitely mainstreamed it. So for all their popularity and for a person who adds 20 sugar packets to a Venti Starbucks, I have to admit when I first had these bars I found them way too sweet.
Momofuku Gooey Butter Cake Bars
I know – contradiction, but lets not talk about my shifting logic. Lets talk about finding a balance that keeps the richness of the original recipe while toning down the sweetness of it.
The recipe I used, as the title suggests is adapted from Christina Tosi of Momofuku Milk Bar. I got busy and made one batch after another, and I ate and I ate-okay, I ate alot. A few pounds heavier, I’ve now found my go-to version of the ooey gooey butter cake bars.
A few notes:
- For the adaptations, I added lemon zest to the cake base for a slight bite of acidity and blueberries to the ooey gooey layer to balance out the sweetness with some tartness.
- I prefer my bars on the firmer side, so I baked the bars for 40 minutes. For a more gooey center and to stay closer to the original recipe bake the bars for only 30 minutes.
Momofuku Ooey Gooey Butter Cake Bars with Blueberries
Makes one 8×8 pan | Preparation: Line pan with enough parchment to create a 1 inch over hang on each side. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
Ingredients:
- 1 box of yellow cake mix
- 4 ounces butter, melted
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 10 oz. blueberries
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 eggs
- 1 pound powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions:
- Place the dry cake mix, butter, 1 egg and lemon zest in a bowl and mix until well blended. Press mixture into parchment-lined 8×8-inch pan. Sprinkle blueberries on top. Set aside.
- Place the cream cheese, remaining 2 eggs, sugar, vanilla and mix until well blended. Pour cream cheese mixture on top of blueberries and spread mixture all the way to the edges. Bake for at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes, or until the edges are a light golden brown, and the center slightly jiggles when pan is tapped.
- Cool completely in pan. Turn out onto a cutting board and cut into 1-inch-squares. For nice clean edges place pan in the freezer for about 30 minutes or until firm, cut while cold, and transfer to mini-cupcake linersto serve.
Welcome to my cozy corner where baking meets random thoughts and musings. I’m a self-taught baker sharing all things sweet (and some savory—okay, and cocktails) with a whisk in one hand and a camera in the other. 
I am all about!!! adapting C.Tosi recipes because although I love her creativity, her recipes have 3 or 4 recipes within a recipe! I love using boxed cake mix and an egg for the base layer of my bars and topping with cream cheese is a winner! These look awesome!!!
They looks delicious and so inviting! Even fresh re currants may add tartness to balance the sweet side! I will try them!
What a fabulous recipe. I haven’t tried anything like this before and know I’ll love it!
ooey gooey awesome
I really need to dive into that cookbook already, everything from it looks awesome!
Momofuku is definitely a place I want to visit! Love that i can make these bars and get a sneak preview of their food!
These bars look so cute and fun to eat, I love the colors and the texture looks great!
I’m officially in love. I am marking this one down for Eric’s birthday weekend. We will be having people on the Cape and would love to serve these bars!
I’m craving these now! They look so easy to make and really yummy. I’m going to make these for my co-workers this upcoming weekend. 😀
I die! I love these!! They look so good. Why can’t we be neighbors?
I’ve been making these bars for 20years +….I got the recipe from my husbands Grandmother, she was from Missouri & I know that she made them for years……..
Naomi replied: — June 1st, 2012 @ 12:54 pm
Diane – I’ve been hearing that from a few a people – that is, the recipe has been around for a quite a while. One of my friends actually gave me this recipe over a year ago, and same thing, it’s been floating around her family for years too and that it went back to relatives from long ago as well.
these look soooo good! Ah, to have one right now!
Never hears of these but they sound amazing, have to try it out!
I couldn’t resist eating up all those bits and pieces to “test” along the way either! lol
I have now tried this recipe twice and the last time baked it for 53 minutes, it was still too gooey to eat. I have no idea what went wrong!! I would love them to look like your picture. Any thoughts?
same problem as Jane!
Hello,
Stumbled over your website and love your recipes. But – as I’m living in Holland, I’m wondering: what’s a ‘yellow cake mix’? We have cake mix of course, too. But I have no idea about sizes etc.
But regardless: great recipes.
Greetings from Holland.
Idk whats up with this recipe. I baked them for 30 minutes and came out liquidy. Used 3/4 lb sugar and was still TOO sweet.
Same problem. It’s been over 40 minutes and still liquid in the middle. Giving it 10 more minutes. Hope it works cause it looks yummy!
Made these tonight! Delicious but per other comments…cook for 45 minutes then turn off the oven and let the pan continue to bake for another hour or close. You’ll get the firmer texture you need.
I have been making gooey butter cake my whole life. It originated in St. Louis. For those saying that they are way too gooey…I use these exact same quantities for a 13 x 9 pan not an 8 x 8 and always bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees. Let it cool completely in the pan before eating. I know it is hard to resist but it always tastes better the 2nd day. Also, I’m a purist. No lemon zest or blueberries for me. Try the original before you tweek it. You won’t regret it!
Not sure, but mines turned out way different than the picture
If I make it next time I would definitely use a bigger pan and cut the sugar buy least half
I had the same problem as others. 8″x 8″ pan is way too small, and even with much longer baking, they never fully cooked. That said, the taste was delicious. I will make them again, in a 9″x 13″ pan. Don’t know why an 8″ x8″ was ever written for this recipe.