Name: Treebeards Butter Cake
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 15.25 ounces yellow cake mix (please use Duncan Hines--they are still 15.25 ounces); 1/2 cup butter (melted); 1 egg; 8 ounces cream cheese; 2 eggs; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 5 cups powdered sugar (divided use)

Indulge in the luxurious richness of Treebeards Butter Cake. This decadent dessert with a buttery crust and gooey cheesecake layer is simply divine! It’s a special treat to brighten any day. Every slice of Butter Cake is a testament to the joy of homemade baking, offering a taste of nostalgic comfort.

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Treebeards buttercake

Those who’ve lived in or spent time around Houston are likely familiar with Treebeards, which has been serving up delicious down-home Southern-style meals and delicious desserts since the late 1970s. Over more than four decades, it’s expanded from a single restaurant in the Market Square neighborhood (which sadly closed in 2020) to four locations around Houston.

However, they all maintain one of the notable characteristics of the original — they’re closed on weekends. While hardworking staff likely appreciate the time off, it means that those craving one of the restaurant’s iconic Butter Cakes on Saturday or Sunday need to make their own, as do any former Houstonians who’ve moved elsewhere.

What makes Treebeards butter cake so special?

Whether you’re a Treebeards regular or are just learning about the restaurant, anyone who loves a delicious baked good will appreciate Treebeards butter cake. It’s hard to beat the ooey, gooey filling made from a sweetened, flavored cream cheese mixture.

Meanwhile, the comforting, familiar flavors of yellow cake provide the perfect crust to hold it all in.

Why you’ll love this recipe

These rich, delicious flavors are easy to pull together with this simple take on Treebeards butter cake recipe. Using a boxed cake mix helps speed up the process significantly, while most other ingredients are affordable and long-lasting. They may already be waiting in your fridge or pantry! Plus, it’s ready to eat in under an hour, only ten minutes of which is active cooking and mixing.

Ingredients

There’s nothing particularly groundbreaking about the ingredients you’ll need. It’s how they work together that produces the most unique parts of Treebeards gooey butter cake recipe:

Bottom Layer

Nonstick cooking spray – Keeps the sticky edges of the cake from clinging to the pan.
Yellow cake mix – Forms the base of the chewy, buttery crust with built-in sweetness and structure.
Butter, melted – Binds the cake mix into a dough and gives the crust its rich, buttery flavor.
Egg – Holds the crust together and gives it a chewy texture.

Cheesecake Layer

Cream cheese – Creates the creamy, tangy base of the gooey top layer.
Eggs – Set the filling as it bakes, making it custardy and sliceable.
Vanilla extract – Adds warm, rounded flavor to the cream cheese layer.
Powdered sugar – Sweetens the filling and dissolves smoothly for a silky texture.

Ingredient Notes

Use a standard 15.25-ounce box of cake mix. Many brands have shrunk their boxes, but Duncan Hines still sells this size, which gives the crust the right thickness.
Let the cream cheese soften at room temperature before mixing so it blends without lumps.
Use full-fat block cream cheese, not the spreadable tub kind, which is softer and can make the filling too loose.
Pure vanilla extract gives a cleaner flavor than imitation vanilla in a filling this simple.

Copycat Treebeards butter cake ingredients on a tray.

Ingredient notes and substitutions

Those sensitive to dairy can replace the butter and cream cheese with non-dairy alternatives without significantly impacting the final result.

Even bakers with celiac disease or gluten intolerances can enjoy this recipe by swapping the regular cake mix for gluten-free varieties.

How to make Treebeards butter cake

Making this cake involves two main steps: making the crust and making the filling. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

To make the crust:

Using an electric mixer, blend the cake mix, melted butter, and an egg on low speed until combined and the dough a moist, then continue on medium speed for an additional two minutes.
Spray a 15-inch jelly roll pan with non-stick spray until thoroughly coated.
Press mixture into the pan.

Collage of making the bottom layer for copycat Treebeards butter cake.

Making the filling is also straightforward:

Combine cream cheese, vanilla, some of the powdered sugar, and remaining eggs in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer.
Cover the bowl and continue mixing on high speed for five minutes.
Switch to low speed, uncover the bowl, and add the remaining sugar.
Recover and mix on high speed for an additional five minutes.
Pour mixture over the crust and bake at 350°F until light brown, about 40 minutes.

Collage of mixing wet and dry ingredients and baking copycat Treebeards butter cake.

Equipment notes

Though jelly roll pans are the best and most traditional way to make this cake, you’re not out of luck if you don’t own one. You can also use a regular 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Cooking time will likely be a bit longer, but keep a close eye on the cake as it nears completion.

Copycat Treebeards butter cake in the pan.

What to serve with Treebeard’s butter cake

Another advantage of Treebeard’s butter cake is that it’s wonderfully versatile and pairs well with many different accompaniments.

For a fresh, healthier spin on dessert, add some fresh fruit. Tart, sweet berries work particularly well.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, make your cake even more decadent with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream.

Meanwhile, pair your slice with a delicious beverage, like a cold glass of milk or a steaming mug of coffee or tea.

Copycat Treebeards butter cake slice and a fork on a plate.

Storage & Reheating Instructions

Freezer Storage: Recommended for up to 2 to 3 months. Wrap squares or the whole cake tightly and freeze. Thaw completely in the refrigerator before serving or reheating.
Refrigerator Storage: Store in airtight containers for up to 5 days. Because of the cream cheese layer, refrigerate the cake once it has cooled completely. You can also cover the pan tightly with foil or plastic wrap.
Reheating Method: Warm squares in a 350°F oven for a few minutes to keep the crust and top from turning soft. In the microwave, heat in short intervals so the filling does not turn mushy. It is also good served chilled or at room temperature.

A piece of copycat Treebeards butter cake on a fork.

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Treebeards Butter Cake

A chewy yellow cake crust topped with a gooey, golden cream cheese layer, just like the Houston favorite. Only 10 minutes of prep.

Author: Stephanie Manley

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5 from 6 votes

Servings :

Prep Time10

Cook Time40

Total Time50