Gooey Toffee Butter Cake

Remember that these wonderful cakes are very, very rich, and a little will go a long way.

Yield: 20 to 24 squares

Ingredients

Cake

• 1 (18.25 ounce) box yellow cake mix*
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Filling

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 (16 ounce) box confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup almond toffee bits or chocolate toffee bits

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 13 x 9-inch baking pan.
2. Cake: In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the cake mix, egg and butter and mix well. Pat into the bottom of prepared pan and set aside.
3. Filling: Still using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth.
4. Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract.
5. Dump in confectioners' sugar and beat well. Reduce the speed and slowly pour in butter. Mix well.
6. Fold in toffee bits.
7. Pour filling onto cake mixture and spread evenly.
8. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Don't be afraid to make a judgment call on the cooking time, because oven temperatures can vary. You want the center to be a little gooey, so don't bake it past that point!
9. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
10. Cut into squares.

Notes

* 18.25 ounce boxes of cake mix have been replaced by 16.5 ounce and 15.25 ounce boxes. To compensate for the volume loss in a 16 ounce box, whisk 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour into the dry cake mix before proceeding with the recipe. To compensate for the volume loss in a 15.25 ounce box, add 1/2 cup + 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour and 1/4 teaspoon baking powder.

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen