Gooey Bars (aka Cream Cheese Bars)

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Gooey Bars (aka Cream Cheese Bars)

I have no idea what these bars should actually be called or where this recipe really came from… It’s likely to have come on the back of a cream cheese box for all I know. (Actually, Google helped me to find this recipe which is the same). This is another recipe that my family loves. My sisters practically know this recipe by heart. Similar to the “best dang thing ever bars”, my sisters also prefer to underbake these bars, hence the name gooey bars. I tend to like my bars fully cooked so they hold their shape better. If you prefer an even gooier texture, take these out of the oven a couple minutes early.

I know some of you will shudder at the thought of using a box cake mix. I agree that in general, I would much rather make a cake/cookie/brownie from scratch. For starters, it’s a lot more fun as a baker to measure everything out and follow a recipe that has more than two steps. Not to mention knowing exactly what is in your food (and being able to pronounce it all!) I do however believe that boxed cake mix has a time and a place. One of those places being in this bar.

These bars taste almost like a cheesecake with a great chewy shortbread crust. Everyone that tried one really enjoyed them and Hubby ate an embarassingly large number of these bars.

Gooey Bars

Yield: 30

Ingredients:

1 box yellow cake mix
1/2 cup butter, melted
3 eggs
1 pound powdered sugar
1 8-oz package cream cheese

Directions:

Mix cake mix, margarine & 1 egg with fork. Press into bottom of greased 9 x 13 pan, set aside.

Beat powdered sugar, cream cheese and 2 eggs for 4 or 5 minutes. Pour over cake mixture.

Bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Cool completely. Cut into bars.

Recipe from my step mom

Don’t forget – I’m offering a chance to win a cute tote if you donate $5 or more to my Avon Walk by the end of January. See details here.

Bars and Brownies, Dessert, Family Favorites

27 comments »

25 Responses to “Cream Cheese Pound Cake Bundt”

#
1

Eva @ Eva Bakes — April 24, 2013 at 7:28 am
What a beautiful bundt cake!
- beantownbaker — April 24th, 2013 @ 1:47 pm
  
  Thanks 🙂
#
2

Shannon — April 24, 2013 at 8:13 am
I definitely don’t make bundt cakes enough given those attributes 🙂 this looks absolutely wonderful and I can imagine so many ways to change it up!
- beantownbaker — April 24th, 2013 @ 1:49 pm
  
  Oh yea, you could definitely add some spices (i’m thinking cardamom or cinnamon), some extracts or oils, citrus zest, fresh fruit… You could really adapt this recipe however you want.
#
3

Sarah C — April 24, 2013 at 8:57 am
So I was just thinking I needed an easy bundt cake dessert to take along with a freezer meal I’m making for a new mom friend, and lo and behold, you post this. You just saved me an hour of searching through recipes (though now what will I do at work). I’m also excited to use the vanilla beans I bought and then never put in the vodka to make extract (hopefully they’re still usable).

I do have a question in all my rambling. You said to grease the bundt cake pan with butter, and I usually have the Pam for Baking on-hand. Do you think that butter works better in a bundt pan than the spray? Occasionally I have a heavier cake like this stick to the pan, and I’m wondering if it’s because I didn’t grease with butter.
- beantownbaker — April 24th, 2013 @ 1:52 pm
  
  I’m sure your vanilla beans would still be usable, although I do recommend making that vanilla extract some time. It’s definitely worth the (minimal) effort.
  
  I have made bundts using both butter or Pam for Baking. Using Pam is definitely easier, especially with all the curves in the bundt pan. Although 9 times out of 10, I use butter and spread it with my hands. It’s kind of fun. For this bundt, I used butter and it popped right out. Let me know how it goes if you use Pam.
#
4

Erica @ In and Around Town — April 24, 2013 at 9:45 am
The the look of the frosting on the cake – bundt cakes are my go to when I need to make a cake for the exact reasons you say, nice and easy.
- beantownbaker — April 24th, 2013 @ 1:53 pm
  
  The frosting tastes even better than it looks. Man I wish I had a piece of this guy today…
#
5

Rosie @ Blueberry Kitchen — April 24, 2013 at 9:55 am
Your cake looks stunning, I love the look of the texture and the vanilla bean glaze. You’re making me sad I don’t have bundt pan!
- beantownbaker — April 24th, 2013 @ 1:54 pm
  
  You should definitely get one! A friend of mine gave me my pan almost two years ago for my birthday and I had to make room for it in our tiny Boston kitchen. It was worth the effort. Now that I have a bigger kitchen, space isn’t an issue, but I’m still so glad I have that pan.
#
6

Michelle — April 24, 2013 at 10:41 am
I’ve been looking for a bundt cake recipe recently and my husband has been asking for (another) pound cake. THANK YOU!
- beantownbaker — April 24th, 2013 @ 1:54 pm
  
  Glad I could help 🙂
#
7

Ashley Bee (Quarter Life Crisis Cuisine) — April 24, 2013 at 11:14 am
Yesterday I found vanilla beans for CHEAP at the grocery store–but they refused to let me buy them because they were expired!! It was the saddest day. This bundt looks amazing. My only tangle with a bundt cake was when I tried to do the Pinterest thing where you put two together to make a pumpkin… frosting disaster. Oh well.
- beantownbaker — April 24th, 2013 @ 1:55 pm
  
  WHAT?!? I’ve never heard of that. Oh I’ve seen that where you put two together to make a pumpkin. Never tried it myself though…
#
8

tracy {pale yellow} — April 24, 2013 at 3:13 pm
I understand your love for bundt cakes! i don’t own one and I’m so envious of all the wonderful looking bundt cakes out there. I pin all the recipes, yet I still haven’t bought myself a pan. That clearly needs to change soon!
- beantownbaker — April 25th, 2013 @ 7:48 am
  
  You should definitely get one! I got mine from a friend for my bday almost two years ago and I’m so happy she got it for me 🙂 A lot of people have commented that they don’t have a bundt pan. Maybe I should do a giveaway on here for one…
#
9

Julie @ Julie's Eats & Treats — April 24, 2013 at 3:54 pm
I love Bundt Cakes too. They are so easy and they end up looking fancy! With cream cheese it I bet it’s perfect!
- beantownbaker — April 25th, 2013 @ 7:50 am
  
  Aren’t bundts the best 🙂
#
10

Audra | The Baker Chick — April 24, 2013 at 9:46 pm
Your bundt looks wonderful! I’m so glad you loved this recipe as much as I did! 🙂
- beantownbaker — April 25th, 2013 @ 7:50 am
  
  Me too! Thanks for posting it or I might not have found it!
#
11

Nutmeg Nanny — April 27, 2013 at 8:14 am

I love bundt cakes 🙂 yours looks beautiful! I’ve got to try this recipe.
#
12

Brooke Schweers — April 28, 2013 at 6:42 pm

I have never made a bundt cake but this post makes me want to go out and by a bundt tin! A lovely and delicious looking cake 🙂
#
13

Sarah C — May 1, 2013 at 9:11 pm
Update: I made this for my new mom friend and it turned out great. I used Pam on the bundt pan and the cake slid right out and was beautifully golden. Granted I sprayed GENEROUSLY, so that may have helped. The vanilla beans were also amazing in the glaze and I can’t wait to use them in more recipes!
- beantownbaker — May 2nd, 2013 @ 9:03 am
  
  Glad to hear it worked out for you!
#
14

ErinsFoodFiles — May 6, 2013 at 4:12 pm

I LOVE bundt cakes! This looks great!