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 »

9 Responses to “Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bundt”

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Erin @ The Spiffy Cookie — February 18, 2013 at 1:48 pm
My list of must make recipes is constantly getting switched a round. So many great recipes come out every day it’s hard to keep up
- beantownbaker — February 24th, 2013 @ 10:22 am
  
  I agree completely. Even when I have sat down to make a must-bake list, within a few weeks, half of the things on there aren’t doing it for me because I’ve found new recipes I want to try.
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2

Ashley — February 18, 2013 at 2:04 pm

I love making lists, too. And I especially love checking things off of lists. This will definitely be added to my insanely large list of recipes to try out. Yum!
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Aimee — February 19, 2013 at 4:45 pm
OMG! I was wondering why my jaw dropped the second I saw this gorgeous cake in my Google reader! It looks amazing Jen, and since I still haven’t made it (shameful but not at all surprising) I am so glad you did! I wish I could eat a piece! Miss you. Xoxo
- beantownbaker — February 24th, 2013 @ 10:24 am
  
  Miss you too hon. You definitely should still try to make this bundt. It’s worth keeping on your list.
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4

Megan — February 19, 2013 at 9:38 pm

Anything with peanut butter and chocolate chips and you can count me in!
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Shannon — February 20, 2013 at 10:32 am

yum. this is definitely my kind of cake, i can’t turn down peanut butter!
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Kelly — May 16, 2013 at 12:03 pm
Hi Beantown Baker
Do you think this would be able to be made in cupcake form? Or is it best to keep it in bundt pan for cooking purposes?

Thanks
- beantownbaker — May 16th, 2013 @ 12:24 pm
  
  Good question. While I haven’t made this in to cupcakes, there’s no reason this has to be baked in a bundt pan. I’d say give it a shot! Let me know how it goes for you.