Ooey Gooey Butter Cake in 50 Minutes with Cream Cheese

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9x13 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an inch of overhang on the sides for easy removal.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry yellow cake mix, melted butter, and one egg. Stir until a thick, soft dough forms. Note: It will feel more like cookie dough than cake batter.
3. Press this mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Use the back of a spoon or your clean hands to get it into the corners.
4. In a separate bowl, beat the 8 oz of softened cream cheese using an electric mixer until smooth. Beat until no lumps remain before adding other ingredients.
5. Add the two remaining eggs and vanilla extract to the cream cheese. Mix on medium speed until fully incorporated and the color is uniform.
6. Gradually add the powdered sugar (450g) to the cream cheese mixture one cup at a time. Beat on low speed until the batter is silky and thick.
7. Pour the cream cheese batter over the cake base in the pan and spread it to the edges with a rubber spatula.
8. Bake in the center rack for 35 to 45 minutes. Watch for the edges to turn a deep golden mahogany.
9. Check the center. It should still have a slight jiggle when the pan is gently shaken. It should not look like liquid, but it shouldn't be firm either.
10. Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan for at least 2 hours before slicing into 24 bars. Dust with extra powdered sugar if desired. > Chef's Tip: If you want an even cleaner slice, put the cooled cake in the fridge for an hour. Use a hot, wet knife to cut through the layers, wiping the blade between every single cut. It sounds tedious, but it’s how you get those perfect, bakery style squares.