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    Home » Recipes » Dessert

    Neiman Marcus Cake

    Published by Melissa on April 18, 2021 | Updated June 10, 2022 | 9 Comments

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    Neiman Marcus Cake is a gooey butter cake with a short-cut from a boxed cake mix and a tangy cream cheese layer. 

    two slices of gooey butter cake / Neiman Marcus cake on a plate with berries

    I first heard about the Neiman Marcus Cake from a reader who loves my Neiman Marcus Cookie recipe. It’s easy to make and comes out like a cross between a cake and a bar cookie. The top is a bit crackly, with a cream cheese layer underneath, on top of a blondie-like bottom crust. The edges are a little bit chewy. 

    ❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe: You can whip this cake up with a few simple ingredients. It’s perfect to bring to your next barbecue, picnic, or birthday party. It’s also a kid-friendly treat and it freezes well.

    How to Make Neiman Marcus Cake

    This cake is an interesting twist on the usual cake-making procedure. First, you’ll make a layer with a boxed cake mix, which becomes a crust for the gooey butter cake topping. 

    steps and ingredients to make gooey butter cake with boxed cake mix

    I lined the pan with foil which makes for easy removal to cut the cake but makes it harder to spread the bottom layer, so lining it is optional.

    It’s important to use room-temperature cream cheese for easy blending. This way, you can ensure that the simple four-ingredient cream cheese layer comes together quickly and smoothly. 

    steps to put the cake and cream cheese layer in a baking dish

    You bake it until the cake pulls away from the edges and is golden brown on top.

    The foil makes it easy to remove the cake from the pan so it’s easier to cut into squares. Remove the foil before cutting the squares.

    slicing neiman marcus cake out of the baking dish into bars

    Serving Suggestions

    My husband loved this cake topped with fresh raspberries or strawberries and a dollop of whipped cream. But it’s sweet enough that it’s perfect served all by itself.

    You can also go with a simple sprinkling of powdered sugar for a pretty presentation. 

    two slices of gooey butter cake with fresh strawberries on a plate

    More Favorite Cake Recipes

    Try these other easy homemade cake recipes next:

    • Black Forest Cheesecake Cake is a multi-layered show-stopper with moist chocolate cake and creamy cheesecake. 
    • Pear Cake is a fruity and comforting cake recipe for fall.
    • Chocolate Cake for Two from Pressure Cooking Today is a delightful miniature cake that’s perfect as a smash cake for babies, made in the pressure cooker. 
    two slices of gooey butter neiman marcus cake on a plate with strawberries
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate this Recipe
    4.50 from 16 votes

    Neiman Marcus Cake

    This Neiman Marcus Cake recipe is a gooey butter cake with a tangy cream cheese layer for a short-cut dessert recipe. 
    Course: Cakes
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: gooey butter cake, neiman marcus cake
    Servings: 1 9×13-inch cake
    Calories: 239kcal
    Author: Barbara Bakes LLC
    Prevent your screen from going to sleep

    Equipment

    • OXO Good Grips 3-Piece Stainless-Steel Mixing Bowl Set, White
    • 1Easylife 18/8 Stainless Steel Measuring Spoons, Set of 6 for Measuring Dry and Liquid Ingredients
    • KitchenAid KP26M9XCOB 6-Quart Bowl-Lift Professional Stand Mixer, Onyx Black

    Ingredients

    Cake Bottom Layer

    • 1 15.25 oz box yellow or white cake mix
    • ½ cup butter melted
    • 2 large eggs

    Cream Cheese Top Layer

    • 3-½ cup powdered sugar plus more for serving
    • 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
    • 2 large eggs
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13 cake pan with non-stick spray or line it with foil.
    • In a large mixing bowl, mix cake mix, melted butter, and eggs with a sturdy spoon until well blended. (It will be thick like a cookie dough.)
    • Use your fingers or a bench scraper to press dough into the prepared pan. 
    • Make cream cheese topping: In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and two cups of powdered sugar on low speed until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla and beat on low speed until blended. Add remaining 1 ½ cups powdered sugar and beat until blended. Pour over cake bottom and spread to the edges of the pan.
    • Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until topping is set and golden brown and it’s pulling away from the sides of the pan. Cool completely in the pan.
    • To serve, cut into squares and sprinkle top with additional powdered sugar if desired.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1g | Calories: 239kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 101mg | Sodium: 152mg | Sugar: 20g
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    About Melissa & Barbara

    As of June 2022 Melissa Griffiths now is the one adding recipes. So think of it as Barbara Bakes, and Melissa too! Melissa and Barbara have been blogging friends for over 10 years and when Barbara was ready to retire and spend more time with her family, Melissa took over the site. Read more...

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Catherine

      February 26, 2023 at 6:50 pm

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      Reply
    2. Laura

      September 29, 2022 at 10:09 am

      I use Spice cake for this recipe…
      Amazing flavors!!
      Thank you for sharing this recipe..I had it called Not Quite Cake.

      Reply
    3. Margaret

      August 04, 2022 at 11:45 am

      When using the cake mix, do you use it dry or make it as described on the box and then start the recipe?

      Reply
      • Melissa Griffiths

        August 08, 2022 at 12:48 pm

        Use it dry and add the eggs and butter I’ve but in the recipe instead!

        Reply
    4. BJ Houston

      December 04, 2021 at 8:16 am

      The gooey cake are the same recipe called chess bars. Made these for years. Favorite sweet dessert in the South. Thanks.

      Reply
      • Barbara Schieving

        December 04, 2021 at 12:28 pm

        That’s fun to know – thanks BJ!

        Reply
      • Claudette Vassey

        February 16, 2023 at 3:23 pm

        1 star
        I made these and was very disappointed in the results. I did not make any changes, but perhaps I should have. They were very bland and so…..soooo…….sweet. I could not eat them. I know this is an old recipe that has been around for ages, but not for me. Anyone else have my results? Maybe it is just me.

        Reply
    5. Marsha Manning

      April 26, 2021 at 9:34 am

      I’m glad you like the Neiman Marcus cake. I’m the one who sent you the recipe. It’s good to see it being shared so widely. Thank you for a wonderful website and recipes!

      Reply
      • Barbara Schieving

        April 26, 2021 at 6:30 pm

        Thanks so much for sharing the recipe. The whole family loves it.

        Reply

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