Neiman Marcus Cake combines a cookie-like base with a rich cream cheese layer that turns golden in the oven. This easy gooey butter cake has become a potluck staple for good reason!
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I’ll never forget tasting this cake at a church potluck. One bite of the gooey butter cake with cream cheese topping and I was hooked. When I got the recipe, I couldn’t believe something this impressive used just a handful of ingredients.
This Neiman Marcus cake is completely foolproof. The cake mix base provides structure while the cream cheese layer creates that signature gooey texture. It’s become my most-requested dessert at family gatherings, right alongside my Neiman Marcus Cookie recipe, and the combination of buttery richness and tangy cream cheese appeals to everyone.
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Why You’ll Love This Neiman Marcus Cake
- Super Easy to Make: With just a boxed cake mix and a few simple ingredients, this Neiman Marcus cake is virtually foolproof. Even new bakers can create a dessert that looks and tastes like it came from a professional bakery.
- Make-Ahead Friendly: You can prepare this cake in advance and store it in the refrigerator or freezer, making it perfect for meal planning or unexpected guests. It stays moist and delicious for several days, which means less stress when entertaining.
- Budget-Friendly Dessert: Using a boxed cake mix as a base means you can create an impressive dessert without breaking the bank. It’s an economical way to feed a crowd or satisfy your sweet tooth without complicated ingredients or techniques.
- Irresistible Flavor: The combination of buttery cake and tangy cream cheese creates a decadent, unforgettable treat. The sweet and tangy layers balance perfectly, delivering a melt-in-your-mouth texture. Each bite feels like a little piece of indulgence!
🎂 Even simple homemade cakes can become family favorites! Baking this classic cake will fill the whole kitchen with warm, buttery sweetness that you just can’t resist. You’ve got to try it sometime!
Ingredients Notes
Cream Cheese: Room temperature is crucial—cold cream cheese won’t blend smoothly and will create lumps in your topping. The recipe calls for an 8-ounce block.
Powdered Sugar: Also called confectioners’ sugar, this dissolves easily into the cream cheese mixture. Don’t substitute granulated sugar as it won’t create the same smooth texture.
Cake Mix: Any brand works, but check the box size. Most cake mixes are 15.25 ounces, but some brands vary slightly. The recipe is forgiving of a small difference.
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
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Neiman Marcus Cake
Equipment
- Stainless-Steel Mixing Bowl Set, White
- Stainless Steel Measuring Spoons, Set of 6
- KitchenAid 6-Quart Bowl-Lift Professional Stand Mixer, Onyx Black
Ingredients
Cake Bottom Layer
- 15.25 ounces yellow or white cake mix (1 box)
- 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
Make cake base:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13 cake pan with non-stick spray or line it with parchment paper.
- 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.)15.25 ounces yellow or white cake mix, ½ cup butter, 2 large eggs
- 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.3 ½ cup powdered sugar, 8 ounces cream cheese, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Bake the cake:
- 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.
Notes
Nutrition
How to Make Neiman Marcus Cake
This cake is an interesting twist on the usual cake-making procedure. Let’s get started:
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and spray a 9×13 pan with non-stick spray. Mix the cake mix, melted butter, and 2 eggs until combined—the dough will be very thick. Press this mixture evenly into the bottom of your prepared pan using your fingers or a bench scraper.
Step 2: Line the pan with foil. This makes for easy removal to cut the cake but makes it harder to spread the bottom layer, so lining is optional.
Pro Tip: 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.
Step 3: Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes until the topping is golden brown, set around the edges, and pulling away slightly from the sides of the pan. Test with a toothpick inserted near the center—it should come out with moist crumbs. The center may have a very slight jiggle.
Pro Tip: 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.
Recipe FAQs
This can happen for a few reasons:
~Ensure your cream cheese is truly at room temperature.
~Beat the cream cheese layer on low speed to prevent over-mixing.
~Make sure you’re using the full amount of powdered sugar to help the layer set.
~Bake until the top is golden brown and slightly pulls away from the pan edges.
The recipe is specifically designed for a 9×13 inch pan. If you use a different size:
~A smaller pan will result in thicker layers and may require longer baking time.
~A larger pan will create thinner layers and reduce baking time.
~Always adjust baking time and keep an eye on the cake’s doneness.
According to popular legend, a customer at Neiman Marcus restaurant loved this cake so much she asked for the recipe and was supposedly charged $250 for it. She then shared it widely in revenge. While the story’s authenticity is debated, the name stuck and this gooey butter cake became famous.
Expert Tips
- Use Room Temperature Ingredients: Let your butter, cream cheese, and eggs come to room temperature before mixing to ensure a smoother batter and creamier topping.
- Customize Flavors: Experiment with different cake mix flavors like chocolate, spice, or lemon for a unique twist.
- Don’t Overbake: Keep an eye on the cake while baking—it’s done when the edges are set, and the center is slightly jiggly. Overbaking can make the topping lose its gooey texture.
- Chill Before Slicing: Allow the cake to cool completely, or even refrigerate it for a few hours, to make cleaner slices and enhance the flavor.
Serving Suggestions
For a simple and classic approach, serve slices as-is to enjoy the rich, buttery flavor in its purest form. If you’re craving something a bit sweeter, dust the cake with powdered sugar, drizzle with caramel, or add whipped cream for an extra indulgent touch.
To balance the richness, pair the cake with fresh berries or sliced strawberries for a refreshing, tangy contrast. For a truly decadent dessert, serve warm slices with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.
If you’re serving this as part of a meal, keep the main course on the lighter side. It works well after grilled chicken, fish, or a fresh salad. The cake is quite filling, so small squares go a long way.
How To Store Neiman Marcus Cake
At room temperature, the cake stays fresh for 1-2 days when stored in an airtight container. Refrigerate in a sealed container for 5-7 days to maintain its quality and prevent the cream cheese layer from spoiling.
To freeze, wrap individual portions or the whole cake tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. It will keep for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving for the best taste and texture.
More Favorite Cake Recipes
Try these other easy homemade cake recipes next:
- Black Forest Cheesecake Cake -It’s a multi-layered show-stopper with moist chocolate cake and creamy cheesecake.
- Pear Cake -It’s a fruity and comforting cake recipe for fall.
- Yellow Cake – It combines simple ingredients like flour, sugar, eggs, and butter to create a moist, fluffy cake that’s perfect for any occasion.
More Delicious Cake Recipes to Consider
Did you try this recipe? Leave a ⭐️ rating below and share it on Instagram.
Mary Margaret Kroeger
The yummiest🎶
Brenda
Like others it was a tad too sweet for me. But acid cuts sweetness so I drizzled lemon juice over it and it was PERFECTION! Glad I finally tried the recipe.
Tom Wilson
A very easy recipe to make. As a kid from the sixties I can tell you sugar is our go-to food group! This delicious dessert makes me look like I can bake! 😉
Amelia Barrales
I just made this, it’s in the oven baking. MY WHOLE HOUSE SMELLS DELICIOUS!! I CAN’T WAIT TO EAT THIS CAKE I’M GOING TO ADD RASPBERRY COMPOTE TO THE TOP
Terri Landon
Could you add unsweetened cocoa to the top layer?
Melissa Griffiths
You can certainly try it!
Amelia M Barrales
it’s yours, you can do anything you want with it! I added cinnamon to the top layer, sprinkled on the top 💝
Roni OConnell
Flavor was great but the bottom layer was dry. I didn’t over bake as the top needed to finish. I did cut the powdered sugar way down
Marianne
Husband couldn’t stop raving about it
Chris Griffith
Can this be made with chocolate cake mix instead of yellow cake mix?
Melissa Griffiths
It should work great!
Marie
We’ve been making this for decades and we’ve used all different box cake mixes. Lemon is my favorite, but we’ve used spice cake, chocolate, and cherry chip too.
Bill
it’s supposed to be sweet.
Jane
Sounds delicious! The ingredients are on my next shopping list.
Amelia Barrales
you can also make the cake mix from scratch, I did.
Lenore
This recipe is so overly sweet. 3-1/2 cups of powdered sugar! I made it per directions and it looked like it would be good but I am tossing it out. I think you always have to do a recipe as called for until you can adjust it for yourself. Don’t think I’ll try this one again. Darn it, I really wanted it to be good. Yuck!
Noni
Yummy cake! I reduced the sugar by 1/2 cup. I wondered if we could add the cream cheese to overcome the extra sweetness.
Paula
I made the Neiman Marcus cake last night following the recipe. I scooped the powdered sugar into the cups and didn’t pack down. It wasnt overly sweet for the people I served. Everyone loved the recipe. The squares were gone in less than 10 mins with several people coming back for more.
Glenda
A longtime favorite.
Dorothy
I have a major “sweet tooth” but this cake is much too sweet even for me. Might be okay with fresh berries.
Isobel Ehrenhaus
Amazing recipe! So easy to make, and yet the taste is absolutely delicious!
Gloria Gross
Do you make the cake first , then the cream cheese topping?
Catherine
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Laura
I use Spice cake for this recipe…
Amazing flavors!!
Thank you for sharing this recipe..I had it called Not Quite Cake.
Margaret
When using the cake mix, do you use it dry or make it as described on the box and then start the recipe?
Melissa Griffiths
Use it dry and add the eggs and butter I’ve but in the recipe instead!
BJ Houston
The gooey cake are the same recipe called chess bars. Made these for years. Favorite sweet dessert in the South. Thanks.
Barbara Schieving
That’s fun to know – thanks BJ!
Marsha Manning
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!
Barbara Schieving
Thanks so much for sharing the recipe. The whole family loves it.
Kelli
It’s supposed to be Sweet . that’s why it’s called Neiman Marcus because it is VERY RICH…not a Sunday Dinner treat…this is a Once a year very decadent n wonderful dessert!