A twist on ooey-gooey butter cake — a dense lemon cake base layered with a rich, tangy cream cheese topping, baked until just set and dusted with powdered sugar. Irresistibly tart, sweet, and decadent.
Yield
16–20 bars
Prep time
10 min
Cook time
25 min
Total time
1 hr 35 min
Ingredients — 16 to 20 bars
| Ingredient | Quantity | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Cake Base | ||
| Lemon cake mix box | 15.25 | oz |
| Large eggs | 2 | — |
| Butter, melted | ½ | cup |
| Lemon zest | 1 | tsp |
| Cream Cheese Topping | ||
| Cream cheese, softened | 8 | oz |
| Powdered sugar (3¼ cups for batter, ¼ cup for dusting) | 3½ | cups |
| Large egg | 1 | — |
| Large egg yolk | 1 | — |
| Lemon zest, plus more for garnish | 2 | tsp |
Directions
1
Preheat and prep. Heat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan, or line with parchment paper and coat with cooking spray for easy bar removal later.
2
Make the cake base. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, 2 eggs, melted butter, and 1 teaspoon of lemon zest. Mix until well combined — the batter will be quite stiff. Press and spread it evenly into the prepared pan. Tip: spray the back of a spatula with cooking spray to prevent sticking as you spread.
3
Make the cream cheese topping. In a separate large bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese, 3¼ cups of powdered sugar, the whole egg, egg yolk, and remaining lemon zest until completely smooth. Pour evenly over the cake base layer and spread to the edges.
4
Bake. Bake for 23 to 25 minutes until the edges are set and just beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan, but the center still has a slight jiggle — this is exactly right. Do not overbake.
5
Cool, dust, and slice. Leave to cool completely in the pan — at least 1 hour. Dust with the remaining ¼ cup powdered sugar and scatter extra lemon zest over the top if desired. Cut into bars and serve.
Cook's notes
The jiggle is intentional
These bars should look underdone when they come out — a distinct wobble in the centre is correct and expected. The cream cheese layer sets further as it cools, giving you that signature gooey, fudgy texture. Baking until the centre looks fully set will result in a dry, overbaked bar.
Cool completely before cutting
The full hour of cooling is essential — cutting too soon will give you soft, messy squares that won't hold their shape. For even cleaner cuts, refrigerate the cooled pan for 30 minutes before slicing. A hot knife wiped clean between cuts also helps.
Make it ahead
These squares keep well covered in the fridge for up to 4 days and actually improve as they sit — the flavours deepen and the texture becomes even more luscious. Dust with fresh powdered sugar just before serving, as it absorbs into the surface over time.
Nutrition per serving
| Nutrient | Amount | Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | — | Saturated fat | — |
| Protein | — | Cholesterol | — |
| Total carbohydrate | — | Sodium | — |
| Dietary fiber | — | Calcium | — |
| Total sugars | — | Vitamin C | — |
| Total fat | — | Potassium | — |
Tags:
DESSERTS