Chocolate Gooey Butter Cake

Paula Deen's Chocolate Gooey Butter Cake

1 (18.25-ounce) package chocolate cake mix
1 egg
1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter, melted

Filling:
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
3 to 4 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 (16-ounce) box confectioners' sugar
1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped nuts

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 13-by-9-inch baking pan.
In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, 1 egg, and 1 stick melted butter; stir until well blended. Pat mixture evenly into bottom of prepared pan and set aside.
With an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the remaining 2 eggs, and the cocoa powder. Reduce the mixer speed and add the confectioners' sugar. Continue beating until ingredients are well mixed. Slowly add the remaining 1 stick of melted butter and vanilla; beat until smooth.
Stir in nuts with a rubber spatula. Spread filling over cake mixture in pan. Bake 40 to 50 minutes. Be careful not to overcook the cake; the center should still be a little gooey when done. Let cake partially cool on a wire rack before cutting into pieces. Makes 16 servings.

Variations:
Use yellow cake mix for the bottom. For the filling, omit the cocoa, add 1 teaspoon each cinnamon and nutmeg and for:
Pumpkin Gooey Cake: Add a 15-ounce can pumpkin.
Pineapple Gooey Cake: Add a drained 20-ounce can crushed pineapple.
Banana Gooey Cake: Add 2 ripe mashed bananas.
Peanut Butter Gooey Cake: Add 1 cup creamy peanut butter.