who's up for a game of chess?

Gooey Butter Cake. Chess Bars. News flash: They're almost one and the same.


Really, I had no idea. Until my brothers requested some chess bars after having them at one of our holiday gatherings, I didn't have a clue what went into them. I was surprised (and thrilled) that, except for one notable exception, the ingredients are exactly the same as those of the decadent gooey butter cake, made most famous by Ms. Paula Deen. That exception? Paula puts another stick of butter into the cream cheese filling. Geez, Paula. Give your arteries a break--the bars are rich enough!

Nope, there's no way you can go wrong with something so simple, containing so few (high quality) components. This treat is quick work to make and even quicker work to consume. My family's attack on the bars was interesting--both of my brothers drifted toward the edge pieces...


(I guess they liked the more cakey aspect of it. A gender thing, perhaps?)

...while my sister-in-law and I preferred the ooey-gooey-gunky center pieces. Yep, it all worked out quite nicely.

Chess Bars (not to be confused with Paula's over-the-top Gooey Butter Cake)
Cake:
1 18 1/4-ounce package yellow cake mix
1 egg
8 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling:
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened (I used low-fat, for what it's worth)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 3/4 cups (1 16-ounce box) powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine the cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well with an electric mixer. Spread the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 13x9-inch baking pan.
In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat together. Carefully add the powdered sugar and mix well. Spread this evenly over the cake batter and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Make sure not to over-bake--some of us want the the center to be a little immensely luscious and gooey.