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It’s ooey, it’s gooey, it’s only from St. Looey! But was it all just a big mistake?
Ooey Gooey Butter Cake | Photo by Meredith
That’s the local lore about the first St. Louis-style Gooey Butter Cake served up to this dessert-obsessed town.
Legend has it that the crazy-looking concoction, in which a cakelike crust holds a rich cream cheese filling, was first made by happy accident in the 1930s. A German-American baker, John Hoffman, reversed the proportions of butter and flour for his cake batter. Unwilling to toss out the resulting mess, he named it “gooey butter” and watched it fly off his bakery shelves. Hoffman continued to recreate this “mistake” for loyal customers, and soon bakeries all over St. Louis were offering their own versions of the toothsome treat.
It’s All about the Texture
Even though he’s skeptical about the complete accuracy of this legend, St. Louisan Tim Brennan, owner of the James Beard award-winning Cravings Restaurant, Bakery and Catering, still serves his own version of the hometown favorite.
“It’s very sweet, which is part of its appeal for a city that traditionally have loved things on the sweet side,” Tim says. “I love the contrast in consistency between the chewy crust and the creamy filling. The texture is what makes it so wonderful.”
Gooey Butter Cake with Ice Cream | Photo by Meredith
Start Your Own Gooey Butter Tradition
If you’d like to tackle this St. Louis specialty in your own kitchen, Tim Brennan has a few tips:
First, use only the best ingredients. “Treat yourself to real butter and good-quality cream cheese,” he suggests.
While Tim says just about everyone in town has their own version of a “family secret” Gooey Butter Cake recipe, his particular approach is to include a tart or bitter ingredient as counterpoint to the sweetness. “I might add chocolate and cherries, or strawberries and orange curd, just to make it more dynamic,” he says. He sometimes includes almond paste in the base and almond extract in the gooey topping to add new flavor dimensions.
“And I know it sounds a little bit crazy, but make it with love. I honestly believe you can’t be angry and make good food.”
Make your own version with one of these recipes:
As a serving suggestion, Tim suggests brewing a pot of strong black coffee. “It will be a good contrast to all that sweetness.”
Gooey Butter Cake | Photo by Meredith
And if you’re more in the mood for cookies than cake, good news! We also have 5-star recipes for Gooey Butter Cookies and Gooey Bars.
St. Louis Connection
Visiting St. Louis? Check out this hometown ranking of the 10 Best Spots for Gooey Butter Cake from the Riverfront Times.
Even though Gooey Butter cake looked like “a flat gooey mess” to the uninitiated, it became a St. Louis staple, along with favorites like St. Louis-style ribs, Ted Drewes’ “concrete” shakes and “toasted” ravioli (they’re really deep-fried, not toasted). Check out a selection of St. Louis recipes.
Get more cooking tips and awesome food finds.
The post The Ooey, Gooey Dessert That Conquered St. Looey appeared first on Allrecipes Dish.
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