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Top-down view of the cooled cream cheese bars sliced into squares and arranged on a white serving plate on a white marble cooktop. The bars are soft, creamy, with a perfectly golden top. The scene highlights the rich, decadent layers of the dessert, ready to be enjoyed.

Ooey Gooey Bars Recipe

Cream Cheese Bars are a delightful dessert with a rich, creamy layer on top of a buttery cake base. They’re simple to make, with a sweet and tangy cream cheese filling that pairs perfectly with a soft, cake-like bottom.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 24
Calories 237 kcal

Equipment

  • 9x13 inch baking pan
  • Cooking spray
  • Electric mixer
  • Rubber Spatula
  • Mixing bowls

Ingredients
  

  • 1 18.25-ounce package yellow cake mix
  • ½ cup butter melted
  • 4 large eggs divided
  • 8 ounces cream cheese softened
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions
 

Preheat Oven:

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F (or 325°F if using a dark pan). Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan with cooking spray.

Prepare Cake Base:

  • In a mixing bowl, combine the yellow cake mix, 2 eggs, and melted butter using an electric mixer. The batter will be thick. Spread this mixture evenly in the bottom of the prepared pan with a rubber spatula.
    Top-down view of a mixing bowl on a white marble cooktop. Inside the bowl, yellow cake mix, 2 large eggs, and ½ cup of melted butter are being mixed with an electric hand mixer. The thick cake batter is being spread evenly with a rubber spatula into a greased 9x13 inch baking pan.

Prepare Cream Cheese Filling:

  • In the same mixing bowl (no need to clean), blend the softened cream cheese, 2 remaining eggs, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth. Pour this mixture over the cake batter in the pan.
    Top-down view of a mixing bowl with softened cream cheese, 2 eggs, 4 cups of powdered sugar, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. The ingredients are being blended with an electric mixer, creating a smooth and creamy filling ready to pour over the cake base.

Bake:

  • Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes. Allow the bars to cool completely before slicing and serving.
    Top-down view of the baking pan inside the oven, with the cream cheese bars baking at 350°F (or 325°F for a dark pan). The top layer is golden and slightly puffed as the bars bake for 35 minutes.

Notes

  • For an extra touch, you can sprinkle a bit of powdered sugar on top of the bars once they’re cooled.
  • Make sure the cream cheese is softened to avoid lumps in the filling.