Gooey Butter Nutella Cake {VIDEO}

Gooey Butter Nutella Cake – doubly delicious with chocolate and hazelnut will satisfy any sweet tooth. This quick and easy dessert takes chocolate cake to a whole new level when cake becomes the crust and holds a gooey cream cheese filling with a hint of hazelnut, thanks to the Nutella. It’s a great addition to parties or potlucks and can be prepared a few days in advance.

If you’re a fan of gooey butter cake recipes like we are, check out our Strawberry Gooey Butter Cake, Carrot Cake Gooey Butter Cake, Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake, or even Peanut Butter Gooey Butter Cookies!

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Why We Love Nutella Gooey Butter Cake

Nutella adds a delicious twist to a St. Louis tradition Gooey Butter Cake, where the cake becomes the crust and holds a gooey cream cheese filling. Gooey Butter Nutella Cake is a great addition to parties or potlucks and can be prepared up to three days in advance, getting better with time.

It looks like brownies, but it’s WAY better than any brownie you’ve ever eaten!  If you never had Gooey Butter Cake, it’s a flat dense butter cake with a gooey cream cheese filling on top, and a perfect sugary crisp crust forms over the filling, that’s usually garnished with a sprinkling of powdered sugar.

Why You’ll Love This Nutella Cake Too:

• It’s full of rich chocolate flavors with a hint of hazelnut
• Go-to dessert for get-togethers, special occasions, and pot-lucks.
• SUPER SIMPLE to make
• No special, tools, pans or skills needed
• Perfect make-ahead dessert
• You’ll love every bite so much, you won’t want to share.

It’s the dessert I’m always asked to bring to a pot-luck— everyone loves it!

Save this Nutella cake recipe on your list for the next time you need a quick and easy crowd-pleasing dessert or are just craving something sweet, you won’t regret it!

Nutella Cake Variations

If you want to increase the craveability of this simple Nutella gooey butter cake, here are a few ways you can kick the flavor profile a notch. 

Capitalize on in-season berries: There is nothing quite like the combination of fresh berries and rich decadent chocolate, especially during peak berry season. If you’re making your Nutella cake when berries are at their peak, snag some mixed berries (raspberries, blueberries, strawberries) and sprinkle across the top of the cake, once cooled. 

Add a simple glaze: Have a particularly large sweet tooth? Skip the powdered sugar, and top your gooey butter cake with a simple vanilla glaze. 

Swap out the crust: More of a vanilla cake fan? No problem! Replace the dark chocolate cake mix for your favorite vanilla or white cake mix for the perfect vanilla and hazelnut combo. This would also pair perfectly with a strawberry cake mix, especially around valentine’s day. 

Tips for a Successful Nutella Cake

Make your cake in advance: The real secret to serving the most incredible gooey butter cake is to serve 24-48 hours after baking. I know it sounds crazy because we’re always told a fresh out of the oven dessert is the best, but trust me, letting all the ingredients really soak into each other for a day or so makes all the difference, and it will be SO worth the wait. 

Use room temperature ingredients: Room temperature eggs are softer and easier to blend into the batter to avoid overworking it. Cold cream cheese will also be too hard and will not fully work into the batter, leaving small chunks. 

Cool the cake completely before topping: I know we’re eager to put the final touches on our masterpieces as soon as they come out of the oven, but just be patient and let the cake completely cool for at least a few hours before topping with powdered sugar. If the cake is still too warm, the powdered sugar will just dissolve into the cake and disappear from the top.

Ingredients For Nutella Cake 

(full printable recipe at the end of this post)

For this recipe, you will need ingredients for the cake/crust as well as ingredients for the gooey filling.

• Dark chocolate fudge cake mix– I use Duncan Hines Dark Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix, but you can use any dark chocolate cake mix you prefer. 
• Eggs– Check your eggs for freshness before you use them. If they sink, they are good to use, but if they float to the top, throw them out. 
• Butter– unsalted is best, but salted will work too.
• Cream cheese– To soften your cream cheese, leave it out at room temperature for about 30 minutes prior to making this recipe. 
• Nutella– You can usually find Nutella next to the peanut butter at your local grocery store. 
• Vanilla Extract–  this will harmonize the other flavors. Be sure to use vanilla extract as opposed to the less expensive imitation vanilla. Imitation vanilla can often leave a slightly chemical aftertaste, so stick with the pure vanilla extract or vanilla flavoring.
• Powdered sugar– Also known as confectioners’ sugar or Icing sugar. Powdered sugar gives a smoother and denser consistency than granulated sugar.

How to Make Nutella Cake

1. Follow the simple instructions below for a dessert that will disappear before you can even go back for seconds.
2. Preheat your oven to 325℉. Then, lightly grease a 13×9 inch cake pan. 
3. Next, combine your cake mix, egg, and melted butter together. Mix the ingredients using an electric mixer. The mixture will be thick.
4. Press the mixture into the bottom of the greased pan with your fingers. 
5. Blend the softened cream cheese, eggs, Nutella, and vanilla using an electric mixer. Then, slowly add in the powdered sugar and beat until it’s smooth and creamy. 
6. Spread your filling over the first layer. 
7. Bake your gooey Nutella cake for 40-45 minutes or until the edges are brown. 

Let cool and dust: Allow your cake to cool completely then dust it with powdered sugar. 

Serve and Enjoy!

Recipe FAQs

What is Nutella?

Nutella is a deliciously sweet hazelnut cocoa spread. It is typically used on breakfast foods like toast and on desserts. 

Do I follow the cake box directions?

No, you will not. For this recipe, you are just using the cake mix, but the ingredients and process will be different than preparing it like a normal cake. 

How long is Nutella gooey butter cake good for?

Gooey Butter Cake will keep for several days covered and on the counter.  We actually enjoy this coffee cake on day two or three.  So it’s a great make-ahead breakfast cake or dessert for entertaining. Additionally, you can store it in the fridge for up to a week and in the freezer for about 2 months.

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Originally posted in September 2012. UPDATED January 2022. We spiffed up this post with more info and better pictures! No changes to the original recipe.