Need gooey dessert that will travel well

[Yoga0829]

I've been asked to bring a dessert for a 40th birthday party, and the guest of honor has requested "something gooey". There will be 50-100 people for an outdoor party next weekend, and each guest is bringing a dessert so I don't have to worry about feeding a crowd. Whatever I bring will need to be able to travel well in a car, suitable for a potluck, and stand up to being outside for several hours. Any ideas? Friends have suggested turtles or lemon bars, but nothing is jumping out at me yet. TIA!

[mrswaz]

The first thing that popped into my mind was one of Paula Deen's Gooey Butter Cakes. Here's her recipe for a Double Chocolate Gooey Butter Cake.

They can be made ahead, travel well, and do hold up to a buffet line quite well. There's really endless possibilities with variations too. A quick search at Food.com for "gooey butter cakes" turned up over 100 options.

[funniegrrl]

There are a bunch of different threads here about gooey butter cakes, a lot featuring the Paula Deen recipe but some others as well, including scratch versions. The great thing about them is there are so many flavor combination possibilities. Here are a few:

http://community.cookinglight.com/sh...ad.php?t=25150

http://community.cookinglight.com/sh...d.php?t=112245

http://community.cookinglight.com/sh...d.php?t=130783

There's also dump cake that's really surprisingly good. Here's the Pioneer Woman recipe. It's just like the one I've made, except I never mixed the pineapple and pie filling, just layered them. Cherry is the most popular, but you could sub any flavor of pie filling. I've had this made with fresh rasperries and it was amazing.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2...kers-paradise/

Texas sheet cake is a bit gooey, too; PW also has a recipe for it on her site.

[LeaHamm]

As you can see, both of these recipes are pretty gooey!



Carmelitas

32 caramel squares, unwrapped
1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup flour
1 cup rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

Combine caramels and cream in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir until completely smooth; set aside. In a separate bowl, combine melted butter, brown sugar, flour, oats, and baking soda. Pat half of the oatmeal mixture into the bottom of an 8x8" pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove pan from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over crust. Pour caramel mixture over chocolate chips. Crumble remaining oatmeal mixture over caramel. Return to oven and bake an additional 15-20 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned. Remove from oven and cool completely before cutting.
*A stint in the fridge will help them cool off if you're pinched for time. They shouldn't be served cold, but all of that molten caramel takes a long time to cool down. They should be stored and served at room temperature.
**To make a 9x13" version, simply double the amounts.
-----------------------------------------------------------


Chocolate PB Banana Upside Down Cake

3 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup cocoa
3 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup milk
3/4 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup brown sugar
4 bananas, halved lengthwise

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease or butter the sides of a 9×13 glass baking dish. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the baking powder, salt, and cocoa.
In a standing electric mixer, beat 2 sticks of butter with the granulated sugar at medium speed until very fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture and the milk.
In a small bowl, blend the remaining stick of butter with the brown sugar and spread it in the baking dish. Arrange the bananas, cut sides down, in the dish. Spoon dollops of the peanut butter into the dish and fill in the gaps with the chocolate batter. Bake for 45 minutes. Let the cake cool for 10 minutes, then loosen the edges with a knife and invert in onto a platter. Let the cake cool slightly, then cut into squares and serve.

For an extra gooey addition: mix 4 tablespoons of butter with 1/3 cup brown sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, then melt it in the microwave for 20 seconds at a time, stirring after each interval, for a total of 1 minute. Pour the warm sauce over the cake.

[tgchambers]

I always trust Joy the Baker when it comes to anything chocolate AND gooey. Individual Gooey Chocolate Cakes?

joythebaker.com/2008/04/gooey-chocolate-cakes

[LakeMartinGal]

I can attest that those Carmelitas are gooey and wonderful!!!

[Yoga0829]

Thanks everyone! The carmelitas look awesome. I have never made a gooey butter cake before...has anyone made Bobby Deen's lightened version of his mom's recipe?

http://www.pauladeen.com/index.php/f...y_butter_cake/

[Tutalady]

These are really sweet but not gooey......guaranteed to make your Jeans tight though!

Jeans Bars
Crust:
1/2c butter
1 1/4 c flour
2T sugar
Filling:
1c (13 squares) graham cracker crumbs
1/2c chocolate chips
1/2c chopped nuts
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 can condensed milk
Frosting:
1 1/2 c powdered sugar
1/2c butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
Combine crust ingredients. Bake at 350° for
10 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes. Pour filling
over crust and spread evenly. Bake 15-20 minute
til golden. Cool and frost.

[cakebaker]

If you don't mind using a cake mix....

I rarely use cake mixes, but this one is worth it and doesn't at all taste like its not a 'scratch' dessert. And it couldn't be simpler to make. Sorry, no picture-at work.

PEANUT BUTTER & JAM BARS

1 box of yellow or all butter yellow cake mix
2 1/2 cups oats-not the instant kind
2 TBSP brown sugar
3/4 cups melted butter-not margarine
2 tsp vanilla
1 to 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter*
3/4 to 1 cup jam or preserves, any kind will do, but I usually use strawberry or blackberry-do not use jelly*

Grease and flour a 9x12 pan. (I also line with parchment paper)
Mix the cake mix, oats and brown sugar in a large bowl. Add the melted butter and vanilla. Mix well. Set aside 1 1/2 cups of this mixture. Press the rest of it into the bottom of prepared pan. Spread with the peanut butter and dollop the jam on top**. Sprinkle the 1 1/2 cups of the crumb mixture you set aside on top of the jam. Bake for 23 minutes or until the top is lightly brown. Cool before cutting into squares.

*Use more peanut butter and jam for a gooier consistancy, less if you want a more solid bar.

** It is difficult to evenly spread the peanut butter on the crust without some of the crust lifting up. If this happens its ok to evenly dollop the peanut butter without spreading. It will eventually all melt together.

[Choctini]

I've made Paula's gooey butter cake which is very good. There is also a recipe for biscoff gooey butter cake (using biscoff spread which is so good). I want to try this soon.

http://www.plainchicken.com/2012/02/...tter-cake.html

[LakeMartinGal]

I've made Paula's gooey butter cake which is very good. There is also a recipe for biscoff gooey butter cake (using biscoff spread which is so good). I want to try this soon.

http://www.plainchicken.com/2012/02/...tter-cake.html

What is biscoff spread?

[Valerie226]

Valchemist ( I think it was her) posted a recipe a few yrs ago for gooey apple cake. It was not photogenic but was very good. I didn't try a search for it but if that sounds good you might look.

[Choctini]

It's basically a spread made from biscoff cookies. You can use it like peanut butter although it is very sweet and not really healthy. But it doesn't have any nuts so it's an alternative for kids with nut allergies, especially in dessert recipes.

[HealthyinMN]

What is biscoff spread?

Crack in a jar, that's what! It's quite tasty.

Trader Joe's has its own version of it, called Cookie Butter (speculoos spread).

[LakeMartinGal]

Crack in a jar, that's what! It's quite tasty.

Trader Joe's has its own version of it, called Cookie Butter (speculoos spread).

Thanks! Just what I need -- more edible crack!

[TamiLynn]

Over 20 years ago when we lived in Iowa our friend and neighbor Kay made these for a 4th of July get together and I had to have the recipe! They are like little squares of pecan pie but even better because they aren’t overly sweet. Rich with pecans, nuts and coconut makes every morsel a decadent indulgence.

Chewy Pecan Bars

1st layer

• 1 cup Sifted Flour
• ½ cup packed brown sugar
• ½ cup butter

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Mix flour with brown sugar, cut in butter using a pastry blender. Press into a 9 x 13 pan. Bake for 12 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes.

2nd layer

• 2 eggs
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 cup shredded coconut

1. Beat eggs and brown sugar until fluffy. Stir in vanilla.
2. In separate bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt, stir with a wire whisk, mix into egg mixture, stir until combined, and add pecans and coconut. Pour over crust and continue to bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until lightly brown.
3. Allow to cool completely before cutting into 32 squares.

These are very rich so a little is all you need!
Cut into 32 pieces, Per Serving: 119 Calories; 6g Fat (47.7% calories from fat); 1g Protein; 15g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 21mg Cholesterol; 68mg Sodium. Old WWP 3 / New WWPP 3
Cut into 24 pieces Per Serving: 159 Calories; 9g Fat (47.7% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 20g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 28mg Cholesterol; 91mg Sodium. Old WWP 4 / New WWPP 5

Sharing my love of good eats and healthy eating at Nutmeg Notebook

[Yoga0829]

Thanks for all the great suggestions! I ended up making CL's Ooey Gooey Peanut Butter Brownies (they were just OK...a little dry and to me "chemical tasting") and the Chewy Pecan Bars (a big hit and I would make again). I appreciate the help!

[TamiLynn]

Thanks for all the great suggestions! I ended up making CL's Ooey Gooey Peanut Butter Brownies (they were just OK...a little dry and to me "chemical tasting") and the Chewy Pecan Bars (a big hit and I would make again). I appreciate the help!

Thank you for the feedback. Those chewy pecan bars have been a hit everywhere I take them! At one party I was leaving with just a few bars left on the tray and people swarmed me at the door to get the last ones!

[BarbaraL]

Over 20 years ago when we lived in Iowa our friend and neighbor Kay made these for a 4th of July get together and I had to have the recipe! They are like little squares of pecan pie but even better because they aren’t overly sweet. Rich with pecans, nuts and coconut makes every morsel a decadent indulgence.

Chewy Pecan Bars

1st layer

• 1 cup Sifted Flour
• ½ cup packed brown sugar
• ½ cup butter

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Mix flour with brown sugar, cut in butter using a pastry blender. Press into a 9 x 13 pan. Bake for 12 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes.

2nd layer

• 2 eggs
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 cup shredded coconut

1. Beat eggs and brown sugar until fluffy. Stir in vanilla.
2. In separate bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt, stir with a wire whisk, mix into egg mixture, stir until combined, and add pecans and coconut. Pour over crust and continue to bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until lightly brown.
3. Allow to cool completely before cutting into 32 squares.

These are very rich so a little is all you need!
Cut into 32 pieces, Per Serving: 119 Calories; 6g Fat (47.7% calories from fat); 1g Protein; 15g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 21mg Cholesterol; 68mg Sodium. Old WWP 3 / New WWPP 3
Cut into 24 pieces Per Serving: 159 Calories; 9g Fat (47.7% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 20g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 28mg Cholesterol; 91mg Sodium. Old WWP 4 / New WWPP 5

Sharing my love of good eats and healthy eating at Nutmeg Notebook

I made these for the reception after our choral concert . . . they were awesome! I made a double batch, and they disappeared, and I was asked for the recipe. I love gooey bar cookies, and these were easy to make and not as super-sweet as my usuall Magic Cookie Bars or butterscotch bar cookies. Thanks so much for posting this!

[TamiLynn]

I made these for the reception after our choral concert . . . they were awesome! I made a double batch, and they disappeared, and I was asked for the recipe. I love gooey bar cookies, and these were easy to make and not as super-sweet as my usuall Magic Cookie Bars or butterscotch bar cookies. Thanks so much for posting this!

Barbara you are welcome! Thank you for sharing your success with me.

[BarbaraL]

Thank you, TamiLynn! To me, part of the fun of sharing recipes (and of this BB) is closing the loop by reporting how well a recipe went over.

I barely wait for the first batch to cool off enough to taste-test! In the second batch, I increased the brown sugar by 1/8 cup in the second layer (cause I'm a sugar junkie & I love pecan pie). Both versions were delish!

[BarbaraL]

Over 20 years ago when we lived in Iowa our friend and neighbor Kay made these for a 4th of July get together and I had to have the recipe! They are like little squares of pecan pie but even better because they aren’t overly sweet. Rich with pecans, nuts and coconut makes every morsel a decadent indulgence.

Chewy Pecan Bars

1st layer

• 1 cup Sifted Flour
• ½ cup packed brown sugar
• ½ cup butter

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Mix flour with brown sugar, cut in butter using a pastry blender. Press into a 9 x 13 pan. Bake for 12 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes.

2nd layer

• 2 eggs
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 cup shredded coconut

1. Beat eggs and brown sugar until fluffy. Stir in vanilla.
2. In separate bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt, stir with a wire whisk, mix into egg mixture, stir until combined, and add pecans and coconut. Pour over crust and continue to bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until lightly brown.
3. Allow to cool completely before cutting into 32 squares.

These are very rich so a little is all you need!
Cut into 32 pieces, Per Serving: 119 Calories; 6g Fat (47.7% calories from fat); 1g Protein; 15g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 21mg Cholesterol; 68mg Sodium. Old WWP 3 / New WWPP 3
Cut into 24 pieces Per Serving: 159 Calories; 9g Fat (47.7% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 20g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 28mg Cholesterol; 91mg Sodium. Old WWP 4 / New WWPP 5

Sharing my love of good eats and healthy eating at Nutmeg Notebook

I've made these several times and they are always a hit! Thanks for posting this recipe!

[TamiLynn]

I've made these several times and they are always a hit! Thanks for posting this recipe!

You are quite welcome! I am delighted that so many people have tried and enjoyed this recipe. You know its a good one when you find yourself making it again and again!