Easy Red Velvet Ooey Gooey Butter Cake

Red velvet ooey gooey butter cake squares are easy and decadent dessert bars! They’re a fun recipe variation of classic ooey gooey butter cake bars!

Red velvet ooey gooey butter cake dessert bars

Red velvet ooey gooey butter cake bars are a twist on a classic dessert, simple to make and delicious to eat!

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Have you ever had ooey gooey butter cake squares before?  In some areas, these yummy squares might be referred to as chess squares, but no matter how you slice it, this is one of those tasty desserts that everyone should have in their repertoire.

Not only are they incredibly easy, but they are oh so good!! 

My original ooey gooey butter cake squares are a classic dessert, much like I grew up eating at church potluck dinners.  Like my pistachio ooey gooey butter cake recipe, this red velvet cake version is a spinoff of the original, and you will not be disappointed!

Although Paula Deen is often credited with being the original creator of ooey gooey butter cake, it’s actually a classic dessert that originated in St. Louis, Missouri, to a German baker’s happy accident in mistakenly measuring cake ingredients.

Why You’ll Love These Red Velvet Dessert Bars

Instead of a yellow cake mix, I swapped in a red velvet cake mix.  The result is a tender red velvet bar “crust,” which is then topped with a rich, smooth and sweet cream cheese filling. 

It’s basically like eating red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting (just like my Instant Pot red velvet bundt cake or this red velvet pound cake!!), only in the form of ooey gooey buttercake squares!

Simply decadent, my friends, and they’re one of the best potluck desserts around!

red velvet dessert bars made with cake mix and cream cheese

You have a couple of options when making these bars.  If you eat them while they’re still warm, they are SERIOUSLY ooey gooey, as in you will most definitely need a fork for these bad babies.

But, if you allow them to cool, the cream cheese filling firms up a bit.  While the filling is still soft and gooey, you can feasibly hold these with your fingers and eat them as a bar.  The choice is up to you!

How to Make Red Velvet Ooey Gooey Butter Cake

To start, you’ll simply combine a red velvet cake mix with some melted butter and an egg. 

Stir that until it’s combined into a dough, then press it into the bottom of a greased pan (This is my 6-year old helping to make these, so that’s proof that they’re super easy!).

Red velvet cake mix bars being prepared

Next, use an electric mixer to mix together more eggs, confectioner’s sugar, and cream cheese.  Beat that until it’s smooth and creamy.  Pour the cream cheese mixture over the top of the cake mixture. 

cream cheese filling being poured over the cake mix base to prepare red velvet ooey gooey butter cake dessert bars

Bake it for about 35-40 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown but the center is still a little jiggly.

Either serve warm or allow to cool! 

Because these are pretty rich, I think you can easily get 24 servings out of a pan if you cut them into somewhat smaller squares. But if you prefer larger servings, you could cut it into 16 squares instead!

Check Out These Ooey Gooey Butter Cake Flavors and Recipe Variations:

Recommended Equipment:

Yield: 24 squares

Red Velvet Ooey Gooey Butter Cake Squares

Red Velvet Ooey Gooey Butter Cake Squares

Red velvet ooey gooey butter cake squares are easy and decadent dessert bars! They're a fun recipe variation of classic ooey gooey butter cake bars!

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 box red velvet cake mix
  • 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, melted
  • 4 eggs, divided
  • 1 lb confectioner's sugar
  • 8-oz package of cream cheese, softened

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9x13" baking pan.
  2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine dry cake mix, melted butter, and one egg. Stir until the dry mix is fully moistened and the ingredients are incorporated well.
  3. Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
  4. In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a medium-large bowl with an electric mixer, mix together the remaining 3 eggs, confectioner's sugar, and cream cheese. Beat until smooth and creamy.
  5. Pour cream cheese mixture over the cake mixture.
  6. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until edges are golden brown and the center is still slightly jiggly.
  7. Serve warm or allow to cool for more of a bar-like consistency.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

24

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 168Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 55mgSodium: 85mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 0gSugar: 20gProtein: 2g

Nutritional data is automatically calculated and is included for informational purposes only. It is not guaranteed for accuracy.

Want more delicious recipe ideas?

Check out even more mealtime inspiration on my Pinterest boards!

red velvet ooey gooey butter cake squares on a plate


red velvet ooey gooey bars on a white plate

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6 Comments

  1. I made these tonight and just took them out of the oven. They look awesome. How are they to be stored? Thank you.

    1. Chrysti Benner says:

      I usually store mine tightly covered at room temperature for 2-3 days. If you need them to last longer than that, I’d recommend refrigerating. Hope you enjoy them! 🙂

  2. Judy Jones says:

    Can I make this the day before do I need to put it in the fridge?we will be eating it tomorrow evening or can I leave it out ?

    1. Chrysti Benner says:

      Hi Judy! Yes, you can make it ahead of time–I would recommend storing it in the fridge overnight. Then you can either let it sit out for a bit if you want to enjoy it at room temperature, or you can warm up individual slices in the microwave before serving. Enjoy! 🙂

  3. Can you freeze these?

    1. Chrysti Benner says:

      Hi Jennifer! I’ve never personally tried it, but I’ve heard of others freezing ooey gooey butter cake, so I imagine it would work fine!

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