Paula Deen's Ooey Gooey Butter Cake

This has to be one of the most heavenly desserts I have ever had. And the great thing about it is that there are a ton of variations you can do with the same basic outline. I love these kinds of recipes.

Here is the chocolate chip variation:

Ingredients:

Cake:
1 (18.25 oz) box yellow cake mix
1 egg
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

Filling:
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 (16 oz) box confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

Topping:
1 bag chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Lightly grease (or spray with cooking spray) 9X13 pan.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well.

Pat into the bottom of baking dish and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth.

Add eggs and vanilla and mix well.

Add confectioners' sugar and mix well.

Add butter and mix well.

Spread evenly over onto cake mixture.

Add chocolate chips.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes. You don't want to overbake it - you want it a little "ooey gooey."

VARIATIONS:

Pumpkin Gooey: For the cake mix, use a yellow cake mix, spice cake mix, or chocolate cake mix. For the filling, use the original recipe, but add 15 oz of pumpkin pie filling and an extra egg. Bake as usual. Top with pecan half and/or whipped cream.

Pineapple Gooey: For the cake mix, use a yellow cake mix. For the filling, use the original recipe, but add a 20 oz can of drained crushed pineapple.

Lemon Gooey: For the cake mix, use a lemon cake mix. For the filling, use the original recipe, but add the juice and zest of 2 lemons.

Carrot Cake Gooey: For the cake mix, use a spice cake mix. For the filling, use the original recipe, but add 1 cup chopped nuts and 1 1/2 cup finely grated carrots.

Peanut Butter Gooey: For the cake mix, use a chocolate cake mix. For the filling, use the original recipe, but add 1 cup creamy peanut butter and an extra egg. For the topping, you can add 1 cup chopped peanuts if you like.

Banana Gooey: For the cake mix, use a yellow cake mix. For the filling, use the original recipe, but add 2 ripe bananas and an extra egg.

Nutty Gooey: For the cake mix, use a yellow cake mix and add 1 cup chopped nuts to the cake mixture.

Chippy Gooey: For the cake mix, use a yellow cake mix. For the filling, use the original recipe, but add 1 cup white chocolate chips, peanut butter chocolate chips, butterscotch morsels, OR Heath toffee bits (OR any combination).

Strawberry Gooey: For the cake mix, use a strawberry cake mix. For the filling, use the original recipe, but use strawberry cream cheese instead of plain cream cheese.

Obviously, you can do a lot with this recipe. You can change the cake mix, the cream cheese, add stuff to the cake mix, add stuff to the filling mix, and/or top with anything you like. You can be really creative. If you come up with something, please comment and post your variation. :)