Gooey Butter Red Velvet Bars

Just a week or so ago, I made Gooey Butter Cake for a friend's birthday. And since the recipe is so... well, idiot-proof, I couldn't keep thinking of all the endless possibilities of this recipe. All you have to do is change out the cake box mix. I ended up to red velvet cake, but I also wanted to do carrot cake, strawberry, and funfetti. So really you can cater this recipe to any birthday, party, or holiday. So, I made Gooey Butter Red Velvet Bars this time. I really liked how I added mini chocolate chips & chocolate sprinkles to it because red velvet cake has cocoa powder in it, but you could easily leave that out. But, I just love this richness of red velvet cake with the gooey-ness of the cream cheese topping. It's just a more decadent form of the famous southern cake, but in bar form. Anyway, the bars were a hit, and I'm thinking that carrot cake will have to be the next one I try. Enjoy!

Gooey Butter Red Velvet Bars

For the Cake:

1 Box of Red Velvet Cake Mix

1 Egg

1 Stick of Butter, Melted

2T Milk

For the Gooey Butter Topping:

8oz Block of Cream Cheese, Softened

2 Eggs, Room Temperature

1 Box of Confectioners’ Sugar

1t Vanilla

½C Mini Chocolate Chips

1C Chocolate Sprinkles

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 and spray a pan with Pam, then set aside. 

2. In a medium mixing bowl, mix together the cake mix, egg, melted butter, and milk until combined. Press the dough into the prepared pan, so that there is an even layer. Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top of the cake layer.

3. In another mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese, eggs, sugar, and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Pour over the cake & chocolate chips. Cover the cream cheese layer with the chocolate sprinkles.

4. Bake in the oven for 30-45 minutes until barely set in the middle (do not over bake).

5. Let the cake cool at room temperature for about an hour before cutting, so that the gooey butter topping will set and it will be easier to eat.