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Homemade Neiman Marcus Cake slice on a white plate with crumbs, showing creamy layers and warm homemade lighting.

Neiman Marcus Cake

5 from 1 vote
The Neiman Marcus Cake is a legendary “revenge recipe” that’s actually just a gooey butter cake in disguise. Despite the fake $250 café story, it’s beloved for its simplicity — a buttery dense base topped with gooey cream cheese.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Cooling Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 13
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

Bottom Layer
  • 1 box Yellow cake mix - Standard 15.25 oz size
  • ½ cup Butter - Melted
  • 1 large Egg - Room temperature
Gooey Top Layer
  • 1 pkg (8 oz) Cream cheese - Room temperature
  • 3 ½ cups Powdered sugar - Sifted if lumpy
  • 2 large Eggs - Beaten
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract - Optional but recommended
Optional Add-ins
  • ½ cup Chopped pecans - or walnuts
  • ½ cup Chocolate chips - or shredded coconut

Equipment

  • 1 9x13-inch baking pan (Greased)
  • 1 Electric hand mixer (For cream cheese mixture)
  • 1 Large mixing bowl (For cake base)
  • 1 Rubber spatula (To spread topping)
  • 1 Non-stick spray (For pan prep)

Method
 

  1. Dump yellow cake mix in a large bowl. Add melted butter and one egg. Mix until it forms a thick dough (not like regular cake batter). Press evenly into a greased 9x13-inch pan.
  2. Beat room-temperature cream cheese until smooth and fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar while mixing. Crack in eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract until combined.
  3. Pour the cream cheese mixture over the cake base in the pan. Spread gently with a spatula (doesn’t need to reach edges perfectly). Sprinkle pecans or chocolate chips on top if using.
  4. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 40–45 minutes, until edges are golden and center still jiggles slightly when shaken.
  5. Let the cake cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar before cutting.
  6. Cut into squares with a sharp knife and serve warm or at room temperature.

Nutrition

Serving: 100gCalories: 420kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 5gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 95mgSodium: 320mgPotassium: 100mgSugar: 36gVitamin A: 650IUCalcium: 70mgIron: 0.8mg

Notes

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be considered an approximation. Actual values may vary based on specific ingredients used and portion sizes

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