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A sliced Neiman Marcus cake showing a soft cream cheese topping and golden crust in a baking dish. The texture highlights the signature gooey center.

Neiman Marcus Cake

Olivia Carter
Gooey butter cake with a cookie crust and dreamy cream cheese top – potluck gold, trust me!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
20 minutes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Chill time 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours 5 minutes
COST Around $8-12 – cake mix $2, cream cheese $2, basics do the rest. Cheap thrill!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Neiman Marcus cake
Servings 12 happy people
Calories 425 kcal

Equipment

  • 9x13 baking dish
  • A coupleof mixing bowls
  • Hand mixer or spoon power
  • Spatula for scraping
  • Measuring cups & spoons

Ingredients
  

Cake Base (The Crunchy Bottom)

  • 1 box Yellow cake mix 15.25 oz
  • ½ cup Unsalted butter, melted 1 stick
  • 1 Large egg
  • 1 cup Chopped pecans

Gooey Topping (The Magic)

  • 8 oz Cream cheese, softened 1 block
  • 4 cups Powdered sugar
  • 2 Large eggs
  • 1 tsp Vanilla extract

Fun Add-Ins (If You Want)

  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • 1 cup coconut flakes

Instructions
 

  • Crank oven to 350°F, grease that 9x13 pan (parchment sling is a genius hack).
    Cake mix, butter, and egg being mixed into a thick dough in a bowl. The texture shows the foundation of the Neiman Marcus Cake crust.
  • Crust time: Stir cake mix, melted butter, and egg till doughy. Pecans? Heck yes for crunch. Pat it flat – wet hands make it easy.
    Hands pressing cake dough evenly into a rectangular baking dish to form the crust layer.
  • Topping magic: Whip cream cheese smooth, then ease in sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Room-temp keeps it creamy, not gritty.
    Cream cheese and powdered sugar being mixed into a smooth, creamy topping for Neiman Marcus Cake.
  • Bake smart: Dump topping on crust. 35-45 mins till edges crisp, center jiggles. Cool fully in the pan, fridge 2 hours for pretty slices.​
    Neiman Marcus cake baked until golden at the edges with a soft, slightly jiggly center.
  • Serve up: Powdered sugar shower. Ice cream or berries? Chef's kiss to cut the sweet.
    Slices of Neiman Marcus Cake served on plates, showing a creamy center and soft crust.

Notes

  • Southern classic, not off the shelf – purely opulent vibes!
  • Chocolate mix = heaven.
  • Fridge 7 days, freezes great.
  • Room-temp + jiggle = gooey perfection.

Nutrition (Per Slice, About 12 Servings)

  • Calories: 425-ish (some say 236, varies)
  • Fat: 9-12g (mostly good)
  • Sat Fat: ~5g
  • Cholesterol: 47mg
  • Sodium: 203mg
  • Carbs: High (sugar star)
  • Protein: 2-4g (not why we eat it)
    Full-fat for max yum – numbers shift with extras.​