Chess Cake

This is a super recipe! It's easy, rich, and liked by all. I'd recommend coating your spatula in cooking spray to make getting the first layer spread into the pan since it's a bit sticky.

This is such a good recipe. I was wanting to submit this recipe to the site, but after doing a quick search, found it was already here. There are so many variations you can make too. You can use lemon flavored cake mix to make it what my mom calls "lemon squares" or you can follow the recipe posted here and add approx. 2 cups of chocolate chips to the top layer for a chocolately twist. Either way is great! One warning though, this isn't a "normal" cake. If you insert a toothpick to ensure it's thoroughly cooked, it won't come out clean. Look for the top to brown as this is a very gooey.

This cake was fabulous!! If you're looking for a beautiful LOOKING cake, this isn't it. If you're looking for an easy cake with a delightfully unique taste, this is the one. The bottom layer has the consistency of a moist cake whereas the top layer has more a pudding-like texture...this is how a chess cake (and pie) is supposed to be. It is absolutely a delicious cake that I will be proud to serve to my inlaws tomorrow. Oh, and I used fat free cream cheese and low fat butter (just added an extra tablespoon of butter in each layer which puts back the liquid that low-fat butter is missing). I also added 3/4 cup of crushed pecans to the top of the bottom layer. I feel that added JUST what the recipe needed to be perfect! By the way, heat it up for a few seconds in the microwave and serve with ice cream. Wonderful! Enjoy! Ally

this is awesome, I have been making it for years, however the recipe I've used only has butter in the base, not the top (in other words, the top is 8 oz cream cheese, 1 lb confectioners sugar, 1 egg (since no butter) and 1 t vanilla). It also has 3/4 c nuts mixed in to the bottom layer. I love this stuff, it's addictive!

My mom and I have been making this for years. The only difference is we only use one egg and a stick of butter with the cake mix and no butter in the cream cheese mixture, then bake at 350 for 35 minutes. Helpful hints ~ if dough is too thick add 1 teaspoon of water and when pressing the dough into your pan, spray your hands with something like Pam.

This is a great cake recommend that you use the CLASSIC yellow cake mix instead of the BUTTER RECIPE cake mix because it makes the bottom crust turn out better.

I am a caterer, and this recipe is not only appealing to chess pie lovers, but also to those who don't like the extreme sweetness of Chess Pie. Also you don't have to worry about the crust falling off when you cut it! It is a huge hit, and often requested by clients.

This recipe turned out perfect! My husband and I made these "Chess Squares" together. We did however decide to cook at 350 for approx 45 minutes (instead of 325 for an hour). We also added 1 tsp of pure vanilla extract to the topping mixture before baking. These are so rich that I crave them about once every 2 years around the holidays. Enjoy!

This was so easy to make! Growing up, my Mother made the best chess cake I had ever tasted. This recipe challenges the one my Mom used!!! It is very thick, rich and chewy. EXCELLENT!

Very easy to make. Very rich and satisfying. I added chopped pecans on top and found that I needed to cook it longer than one hour.

Made as is this is a two star recipe. No not pretty but tasted OK - it is sweet and a bit eggy. I think I might like recipes that call for just one or two eggs a bit better. I think an addition of a splash of vanilla wouldn't hurt for the topping. Good advice to spray your hands with vegetable spray or your spatula to get the base in easily. I can see how you could add things to the base like nuts or coconut and play around with the topping - think lemon zest with a lemon cake base. I also think the bake time is a bit long - I should have pulled mine after about 45 minutes and I know my oven temp is right since I moniter it with an oven thermometer. Got a bit brown esp. around the edges.

This is a great treat and a permanent item on the menu for the guests - which means I make it at least every 10 days :) However - I wished there would be a rating with "5 stars after little alteration". I had to cut one star off because 4 cups of powdered sugar are way too much. I use only 1 1/2 cups but there are still guests that think the cake is too sweet. I, on the other hand, have a sweet tooth (I can eat sugar cubes like a horse ;) ) and think it is just perfect with the reduced sugar. And - be aware: 1 hour baking time will burn the cake. Better check after 35 to 40 minutes if top is already browned.

After reading all of the reviews about sweetness; I used a cake mix with 1/3 less sugar "Classic Yellow." I also decreased the 4 c. confectioner's sugar to 3 cups. I also used 1/3 less fat cream cheese. I was too trifling to go downstairs to our other refrigerator to get more eggs and only used 1 egg in the top layer with a tablespoon of oil (and it didn't even really need that). The dessert came out wonderfully !! I will agree with other reviewers that it is very rich and the baker has to watch the cake for browning and pulling from edges to ensure cake is done (toothpick method will not work). Thanks for submitting.

Taste just like chess pie, we gobbled it up.

This is so rich and so yummy and very easy to make. A lot of people were complaining that this was too 'messy' and they couldn't cut the cake. I didn't have this problem. The only thing I did differently was: I cut about 3/4 cup powdered sugar (and it was still very sweet), I added 1 tsp. vanilla to cream cheese mix for personal preferance, and I only baked for 50 min, rather than 60. I let cool for about an hour before cutting and it came out perfect. Thank you for the awesome recipe!! Will make again for sure and experiment. I think it would be WONDERFUL with fresh berries! Yumm!

I made this it was good but wayyy too sweet i wont be making this again

basically a blonde brownie

I was looking for this, but didn't know what it was called. A friend calls it Ugly Cake. We add 1/2 cup of chopped pecans to the cake mix. It makes it extra special. Top layer, we do not add butter and only 1 egg. It is baked at 350 not 325. Best baked in a glass dish sprayed with Pam. Completely cool before cutting. Dynamite!

Easy to make and very yummy! Thanks for sharing!

I FOLLOWED THE INSTRUCTIONS to a T and it didnt turn out like i expected the bottom layer was dry cake the top layer mush and all i could taste was sugar i wont be making this again

It was okay, just wayyyyy too sweet, and I only used 2.5 cups of confectioners sugar in the topping.

I did not care for this cake - way too rich for me and our guests did not go nuts over it. Most couldn't finish the small piece I had served them. Maybe we were just way too full for this but I don't care how full I am - if the dessert rocks I can usually finish it. I won't make it again - thanks for sharing tho.

a very good cake, absolutely easy and no fuss at all. I used only 1 egg in the top layer, because I had only 3 in the fridge, but it was ok; and less sugar than stated, and it was so sweet all the same.

This cake is awesome and I got rave reviews about it. The only thing I did was use chocolate cake mix instead of yellow. Next time I will try it with yellow cake.

Quick to put together and very rich. I love how the consistency of cake allows it to be cut into bars. It has a custardy feel to it which I like.

This was great! I took it to a potluck and it got rave reviews.

I didn't like this receipe very much. The top layer tasted more like egg that butter.

So DELICIOUS! I had no idea what I was in for with this cake, but it did not disappoint!

I was so disappointed in how mine turned out. It really just tasted like baked sugar. It was too sweet.I dont know what went wrong. Maybe I should try it again just to be sure because so many others reviewed it highly.

Fabulous recipe!! Not pretty to look at but that's part of the fun of this cake. I serve it at the assisted living facility where I work and they think I'm a genius :)

Very rich almost cheesecake topping, I didn't have 4 cups of powdered sugar so used 31/2 cups probably could have used less and it still would have been sweet enough. I topped with chopped pecans before baking. Thank you for sharing this recipe.

This cake is awesome look no more! I followed the exact recipe and it turned out pretty and tasty.

This was a wonderful cake, easy to make. I used 12 cup less sugar as suggested, low fat cream cheese, and a generic brand white cake mix instead of yellow. It turned out great. I did take it out of oven 5 mins earlier than recipe said, as it was getting pretty brown and had pulled away from the sides. I like the idea of a cake with no frosting for a change. We had it with coffee and conversation! Perfect! I would make again.

This was good. Kind of plain. Guests loved it, even heard it described as heavenly. Seemed a lot like a Neiman Marcus cake but not as good.

This cake was good, but very very sweet! If you do not like supersweet, I would pass on this. But the flavor was lovely and it made a toffee-like crust that was like candy. Went over well at work.

I made this for Christmas Eve and am I'm here to add my rave to the others. I made it exactly as the recipe states, and it was SO SO good. Everyone who tasted it wanted the recipe. I brought the leftovers to work because I couldn't stop eating it, same deal there. This is so easy and delicious.

I followed the recipe exactly. It was very good. The top did not become golden brown until a full hour had passed but the cake at the bottom was browned instead of light colored as in the picture. It was not gooey like I expected. It was much firmer than I thought it would be after reading reviews. I think I should have moved my oven rack up a little bit and cooked it a little less time. Regardless, I will definitely be making it again and I'll be taking it to work tomorrow to share with colleagues. I'm sure I'll get a thumbs up. My hubby actually liked it! Thanks!

Really delicious! Love the eggy-rich-sweet topping. I made it with lemon cake instead of yellow butter cake, very delicious!

I could not bring myslef to use 4 cups of sugar in this so I cut it back to about 2 & 1/2 cups. It was plenty sweet! Used neufatchel cheese & yellow cake mix...this cake has great flavor!

I made this cake tonite, as directed except baked it @ 340 degrees for 40 minutes... due to oven variation. It was browned on top cooked thruout and absolutely delicious. For those concerned about sweetness, cut back on powdered sugar. I think the recipe is fine as it is !! happy baking !!!

I modify this using a box of fudge brownie mix, and it's great like that. Also, I do this so people can add a scoop of icecream to it if they choose.

we loved this cake in my household though some thought that it was too sweet it was gone in a few days, and for a house not big on sweets that's fast!

This cake is wonderful. My family can't get enough. Just to shake things up a bit, try it with coconut cake mix and mixing some coconut into the cream cheese mixture. Tastes like the best macaroon ever.

Very delicious! I made this for my mom's birthday, and it turned out terrific. I followed the recipe exactly.

My family loves this recipe; we having been making it for years - only we called it Gooey Bars - we added the pecans to the cake mixture before baking. It's great but rich!!

This is such a great recipe. I wanted something new for a party this weekend that would be easy to take with me. I cut it up into browniw bars! Everyone ate at least 4 of them, and they also all had to have the recipe!

This cake is delicious. I add pecan halves and minus two cups of confectioner's sugar. Great for holiday gatherings.

This is one of my husband's favorites growing up and i was eager to give it a try. The recipe is quite good. I have learned through trial and error that it is best made in a jelly roll pan and cut into cookie sized pieces due to the richness of it. I decrease the baking time to about 40 minutes.

Wonderful recipe! Everyone loves it and asks me where I got the recipe. Thanks!

This cake was just ok but much, much too sweet. This wasn't anything I'd want to make again even with less sugar.

I cut back on the baking time and added vanilla and a pinch of salt. Makes an interesting difference, small yet, a difference.

Extremely rich and sweet, but delicious, nonetheless...a hit in my house...somewhat addicting!!

Was looking for a way to use a Yellow cake mix that I had, and this was perfect because I had all of the other ingredients too. Sauteed some peaches in butter and brown sugar to put over the top of each square along with a scoop of vanilla ice cream...super yummy!

This was a great recipe for my family and all the neighbors. Do not expect a nice light cake it is pretty sweet. The neighbor across the street liked it the most.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this cake! everytime I take it to family gatherings or for just a treat to my husbands shop I always get compliments! This cake is moist, rich and thick, cant go wrong :)

Delicious!!! I only made it with 2 cups of sugar & it turned out tasty. I also added vanilla & it was great.

So rich and sinfull! I used only about half the conf. sugar. Yum!

SO YUMMY!!! Chewy, delightful, suprising little thing. Had friends over, they kinda made a face at what it looked like (doesn't look very appealing) BUT once they took a bite, they were hooked. The 3 of them ate the entire pan.

So good! Although a word to the wise, as others have said, you won't be able to tell when it is done, so WAIT until the top browns at least a little bit and then let the cake set. The first one I made I made this mistake. However, the second was DIVINE. I took it to class for a project. One of the students begged me for the leftovers. I guess I will just have to make another!

My entire family loved this cake. It doesn't look fancy or anything, but the cake just seems to melt in your mouth! Make sure you don't over cook this one.

Awesome Chess Bars! I call them bars because they are more like that then cake. Very yummy and big hit at family gathering! I only used 3 cups of powdered sugar though. It was plenty sweet enough. Make these and you can't go wrong!

This is a wonderful cake! To make it a prettier cake you can put pecan halves on top. I sometimes cut this in small squares and place a pecan half on each piece and place on a platter. It makes a much more attractive dessert this way. You really can't beat the taste!

ooie gooie great!

The recipe was easy to make, but it turned out just a bit too greasy for me. I halved the amount of sugar added though, so maybe I should have halved the butter as well for the topping. But... I'm not sure I'll make this again. The bottom of the cake was also a bit coarse/hard in my opinion, and I would have rather had a softer cake on the bottom.

THIS IS A GREAT CKAE. IT IS FULL OF FLAVOR AND VERY MOIST. NEXT TIME I WILL CUT THE SUGAR LIKE SOMEONE ELSE SAID TO DO. WE REALLY ENJOYED THIS CAKE. THANK YOU FOR SHARING.

This has quickly became the most liked cake in my family,but I cheat because I try to watch my fat grams I used low fat cream cheese and low fat butter,the low fat cream cheese works well,but don't use low fat butter!Even my ten year old CHOC. a holic LOVES this cake!

This recipe was great! Very easy. Didn't change a thing and found it to be very good. I always buy chess cakes in the bakery and they are very proud of them. Now I have my own recipe and can make it for a 1/4 of the cost to buy.

Very easy and very good! Thanks for the great recipe Kathy!

Made this with lemon cake mix, and it was really great! A good contrast on my brownie tray.

Based on other reviewers, I decreased confectioners sugar to 3 cups. This is a great dessert, and reminds me of a local Philadelphia favorite called "butter cake", but this isn't as runny and gooey. Excellent recipe!

this recipe is moist and sweet- if you're diabetic, this is not the treat for you. Goes well with milk to offset the sweetness. The recipe turned out well, but I wasn't aware of how sweet it was!!! *_*

My son made this for a few friends and apparently it was a hit. We only got to split a small piece that was left. Everyone raved about how good it was. We will definitely be making this again. He followed the recipe all the way except for the confectioners sugar. He used regular sugar and it still turned out good!!!

When the description says it is rich, it isn't kidding. I wasn't expecting it to rise as muchas it did, so it made a mess of the pan. Looks aside, it made for a wonderful dessert for a potluck.

I followed the directions however cut the powder sugar in half because the reviews stated very sweet it turned out great and easy made while cooking dinner

melts in your mouth! Fix for a crowd because this is a very rich dessert but delicious!

This cake blew my mind, bu yes it is very very sugary and rich. I cooked it ten minutes less than specified to make it slightly gooey. next time I'll use less sugar.

I just brought this cake to a freind's house for dinner. It was great - everyone loved it! I made it almost exactly as the recipe stated...the only thing I changed was that I liberally sprinkled the top with chopped pecans before baking it. I chose it because I had everything I needed already in my pantry and fridge! Thanks!! Great recipe!!

I took this cake to bible study for the fellowship that follows directly after. The entire congregation LOVED it!

I used a lemon cake mix, hoping it would taste like a lemon bar, but it was too cakey. Good flavor, though.

This tasted like cake mix and butter, both of which are yummy, don't get me wrong, but if I am going to take in this kind of fat and calories it better be fantastic. Next time I'll just have real chess pie.

This was my first experience with chess cake. The consitency reminds me quite a bit of Lemon bars. They were delicious, and the recipe was very easy to follow although I agree with the reviewer that suggested using 1/2 C. less sugar. Great with tea or coffee!

This was a wonderful cake. I made it for a potluck at church and there wasn't a single piece left for me to bring home!

I made this for my husband's office party. He said everyone raved about it and asked for the recipe. Although next time I will use less powdered sugar. 4 cups makes the topping almost a little too sweet for me.

"OH SO EASY - LAST MINUTE" dessert. My husband wanted something that was sweet 'n "wet" in his terms. This one HIT his sweet spot!

Tasty treat. Family loves them. It's a keeper. Thanks, Tammy.

This was excellent! It has quickly become my favorite dessert to take and share!

I messed up and cooked this cake at 350 for an hour. It was definately over cooked but still Great!!! I can't wait to make another one for my sister at the right temp. She loves chess pie so I will surprise her with this cake...yummmmm

Love this recipe! Made it for a friend for Thanksgiving and her family loved it! She made it for her son-in-law for his birthday instead of a traditional cake! Only thing I did differently is that my pan was 8 x 10 foil pan and I like it better because got a crust and more filling.

I just have to say this recipe is a real winner. I'll be making it many more times.

This was soo good! At first, I had a piece right out of the oven and i wasn't very fond of it, but, next day after I warmed a refrigerated piece, it was phenomenal. So rich and I love the toffee like crust on top and custard like center. The only thing I have to say is that it was done way before an hour, only took 45 min. But will make this again, day ahead of course.

This cake was great!!! Very rich and delicious!!

I'm no baker, so I had no idea what chess cake was - based on the reviews, I gave it a go. I didn't consider, however, that this cake has no frosting; it's hardly a show stopper sitting in the 9x13 pan. This cake was for a baby shower so, I 'frosted' the cake with cool whip, decorated it, and crossed my fingers. Although I think it is far too rich in calories (when I consider how many hours I'd have to workout to burn them off!), people loved the flavor and texture! Some asked what bakery I picked it up at! Fooled them :) Great cake, just lacks appeal!

I just made this for the first time yesterday and received mixed reviews. I used a lemon cake mix b/c that's what I had. Otherwise I followed the recipe. The cake was done in a hour and held up well when cut but the taste was less than satisfactory. I won't be making this dessert again. Sorry.

I've been making these for years, and they are ALWAYS a hit with everyone who tries them. My boyfriend, who isn't the biggest sweet eater requested them this past x-mas, so easy, and so yummy. I don't top them with confectioner's sugar, they are sweet enough as is!

Followed recipe exactly - was absolutely fabulous.

I have a recipe for this cake we call it "gooey butter cake." Simple, quick, affordable. Oh, and addictive!!

I didn't make any changes to the recipes, and it was delicious..not very pretty, but the last makes up for it. I served it to my super club, and everyone loved it!

This is easy and pretty good but VERY sweet and I like sweet. Definitely half or even use a fourth of the powdered sugar, with that I think it would be great.

I love this cake and have been making it since I was a teenager. None of my friends or family ever heard of it before my mom got the recipe. Now it's a required dessert at every family gathering. The only differences are that I use 1 egg for the bottom and 3 for the top..also, no butter in the top. I'll have to experiment with this version one day.