Cake Mixups

There is something you should know about me before reading any further: I am a cake snob. I don't do boxed mixes. I believe everyone who likes to cook should have at least one "from scratch" recipe in their back pocket. And on the rare occasions when a boxed mix is necessary for a particular recipe, I try to make the purchase at a store where no one knows me.

When my sister-in-law the amazing dessert maker (she is an artist when it comes to baking) told me about the Nutella Gooey Butter Cake I assumed it was a scratch recipe, but those I found online all call for a boxed mix. I made a dairy-free version for Midsommar with Justin's Hazelnut Butter, coconut cream, and soy cream cheese. Our guests loved it, especially my dairyless peeps, but I thought the soy cheese gave the dessert a weird aftertaste. I tried a dairy-plus version for the 4th of July and the results were a little more universally appreciated.

With all the online variations of Nutella Gooey Butter Cake, you'd think Nutella would throw a recipe up on their website. So far I haven't found the official version but I'll keep looking. Until then, try this version if you don't mind adding a boxed mix to your shopping cart.
  
Nutella Gooey Butter Cake*
For the cake:
1 package chocolate cake mix
1 large egg
8 tablespoons butter, melted

For the filling:
1 cup Nutella
8 ounce package cream cheese
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 tablespoons butter, melted
2 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In large mixing bowl use whisk attachment to beat together cake mix, egg, and 8 tablespoons melted butter. Use fingers to press into a buttered 9x13-inch baking pan.

In same bowl use whisk attachment to beat together remaining ingredients, slowly adding powdered sugar once batter is uniform. Spread filling over cake.

Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until edges are just brown. Do not overbake as center should be slightly gooey.

Dust with additional powdered sugar and cocoa powdered once bake is cooled completely.

*This recipe is adapted from several online versions.