The Smiling Heart

This is SOOOOOOO good! I only make these once a year at Thanksgiving because they are obviously not healthy being very high in sugar and calories but a couple little  squares a year is okay and well worth the wait every year!

I list the brand names I use to make this recipe gluten free but please keep in mind that you absolutely MUST read all ingredients on all items priot to ingesting them. Food manufacturers will change recipes in a heartbeat to go with the ingredient that is cheapest at the moment so please use my suggestions as guidelines only. Enjoy and Happy Eating!

GLUTEN  FREE  PUMPKIN  GOOEY  BUTTER  CAKES

This recipe is from Paula Deen. I have simply revised it to be gluten free.

Prep Time: 30 min
Cook Time:  50 min
Level:  Easy
Servings:    6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

Cake:
1 (18 1/4-ounce) package yellow cake mix (Betty Crocker GF mix/GF Pantry)
1 egg
8 tablespoons butter, melted (Land O’Lakes)

Filling:
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin (Libby’s)
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 tablespoons butter, melted (Land O’Lakes)
1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar (Domino)
1 teaspoon cinnamon (McCormick)
1 teaspoon nutmeg (McCormick or whole fresh nutmeg that’s grated)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine the cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well with an electric mixer. Pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 13 by 9-inch baking pan.
To make the filling: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter, and beat together. Next, add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mix well. Spread pumpkin mixture over cake batter and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Make sure not to over bake as the center should be a little gooey.
Serve with fresh whipped cream.

Variations: For a Pineapple Gooey Cake: Instead of the pumpkin, add a drained 20-ounce can of crushed pineapple to the cream cheese filling. Proceed as directed above.

For a Banana Gooey Cake: Prepare cream cheese filling as directed, beating in 2 ripe bananas instead of the pumpkin. Proceed as directed above.

For a Peanut Butter Gooey Cake: Use a chocolate cake mix. Add 1 cup creamy peanut butter to the cream cheese filling instead of the pumpkin. Proceed as directed above.