Park Plaza Squares

We called these park plaza squares in my part of Georgia, but evidently the Queen of Savannah, Georgia, a.k.a. Paula Deen, calls it a Gooey Butter Cake.  My husband says they are often called chess bars here in east Tennessee.  Whatever you decide to call them, just know that they are SUPERB!  Paula's recipe can be found at http://www.pauladeen.com/recipes/view2/gooey_butter_cake.  I'll give you the recipe I used because I refuse to go to the store more than once each week, and I am known for using whatever I can find in the pantry and refrigerator (usually sugar or fat free to benefit hubby.)

Ingredients for cake:

1  16 oz  Pillsbury Moist Supreme Sugar Free Classic Yellow cake mix
1 large egg
1 stick melted butter
2 tsp lemon flavoring

Ingredients for filling:

1  8-ounce package fat-free cream cheese, softened
2  eggs
1  teaspoon vanilla
1  stick melted butter
1  16-ounce box powdered sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.  Lightly grease or spray a 9 x 13 baking pan.

Combine the cake mix, egg, and butter, and lemon flavoring and mix well with an electric mixer. Pat the mixture into the bottom of  the baking pan.

Beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter and beat together.  Add the powdered sugar and mix with a spoon or spatula to incorporate as much sugar as possible before using the electric mixer.  (I hate having powdered sugar fly all over the kitchen.)  Mix with your electric mixer until the mixture is very smooth. 

Pour/spread the cream cheese mixture over the top of the cake batter.  Bake for 45 minutes.  Let cool 20 minutes before slicing.