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PinterestYummlyFacebookTwitterEmailLove the idea of Gooey Butter Cake but hesitate because of the time required to make a yeast dough for the base? Try this easy version in an overnight French toast; still has all that gooey wonderfulness but much quicker!Maybe you’ve heard of Gooey Butter Cake? Maybe I need to set the record straight if you think it’s something you make with a cake mix and cream cheese? Happy to oblige!I’m from St. Louis and while I haven’t been back in a very long time, I don’t think the place of your childhood can every be truly removed from your soul. And mine was more than childhood, I moved from St. Louis when I was 28 years old so a huge part of my life was spent there. Some aspects of the town will never leave me and they include:St. Louis Cardinals – I remember waiting for my dad to get home so I could check the stats on every player on the team; I was a young teenage fanatic! They had players for the ages too; Bob Gibson, Lou Brock, Orlando Cepeda; they lived up to my expectations and going to a game was the highlight of my summer. The Rockies are just meh; I’m a Cardinal fan through and through.Toasted Ravioli – While not known as an Italian city like others, there is a strong Italian influence and The Hill is an area with great Italian restaurants and this iconic favorite; clearly I have erred by not making a version to share with you on Creative Culinary!The Gateway Arch – I watched it being built; we loved going down there before it was completed, seeing that piece of sculpture rise into the sky was probably more exciting than taking a tram ride to the top once it was completed.Gooey Butter Cake – A South St. Louis tradition that has spread far beyond St. Louis, it is a yeast bread topped with a sugary, buttery mixture that turns into the ‘gooey’ of the name when baked. There is no substitute, I don’t care what Paula Deen says! I’ve got the recipe for Gooey Butter Cake on this blog with a story about how it came about too.All that being said; it’s not something I make often. It’s a breakfast treat, not a cake dessert and it takes careful planning to get most components made ahead of time and have it ready for breakfast; I’m sure it’s why someone came up with that easier version but I repeat; cake mix and cream cheese might make a delicious something but IT IS NOT Gooey Butter Cake.I had a brainstorm one day though and thought…hmm, might I offer this to my readers in a variation that would simplify it and I think I’ve done just that! Instead of making the yeast bread base, I thought it would be fun to try it as a French Toast type of casserole, not unlike others I’ve done with layering of bread, eggs, milk and the topping. By George I think I’ve got it! And maybe the best part is really how simple it is to make when not having to make a yeast dough first but still achieve the part that really mattered. That ooey, gooey, buttery business on the top! When I was a kid, I admit…I ate the top part and fed the dog the base under the table. She didn’t mind. 🙂Thinking myself brilliant beyond belief, I did what I often do and search to make sure no one else had achieved this nirvana and lo and behold; I had company! Emily at Love ya Bunches had done almost exactly the same thing excepting she used Challah bread where I stuck to the more lowly French bread; both would be great, hers a bit richer.I also mixed together a bit of maple syrup with some blackberries; I wanted to be able to serve a syrup too. Because the cake topping is so sweet, I wanted my own syrup tempered a bit and the blackberries did the trick; their tartness worked beautifully.This was a huge hit for breakfast and something I’m so glad to have in my repertoire for holiday mornings. I love serving something nice but it’s really nice if I can make it the night before! Gooey Butter Cake French Toast might not be something that started with a childhood tradition for you but don’t wait now…it will surely become one.PIN ‘Gooey Butter Cake French Toast’ PinterestYummlyFacebookTwitterEmail
