So...to go along with the pizza I wanted to make a dessert. Thought about brownies, but one of my friends isn't a huge chocolate fan. So, I decided to go with Easy Chess Squares. This is a recipe that came from my mom's recipe box. It really is quite easy and is delicious. I decided to add some lime zest to it for a little kick. I don't know how much of that you could taste, but I would recommend it. Everyone liked it and they guys left with little alumnium foil packets to take with them! Hopefully it supplied the glucose that their brains needed for studying!
Easy Chess Squares
1 box butter cake mix I used yellow because that's what I had!
1 stick margarine
Cut margarine into cake mix using pastry blender or two knives. 
Pat mixture into a 13 X 9 pan. 
Combine with mixer:
2 eggs
1 8 oz. softened cream cheese (I ALWAYS used 1/3 less fat, unless specified otherwise)
1 box confectioner's sugar
Add lime zest if you desire.
Spread on top of cake mixture. Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes. It should be a little browned on top but not solid in the center.
Allow to cool before serving. This would probably be good with different flavored cake mixes, although I've never tried others. I'll bet you could even add cocoa to the cream cheese mixture to make a choclate top if you wanted to. I, however, like the original with a little added zest! Enjoy!
Your chess squares are very similar to gooey butter cakes (minus a stick of butter, an egg and some vanilla). I'm sure they were delicious.
ReplyDeleteLove your addition of lime zest - anything citrus sounds good to me! :)
ReplyDeleteI made chess squares and took them to David on Friday, but had to leave them in his truck as I didn't see him except on stage! I've never added the lime zest but might try that, good idea. I love lime.
ReplyDeleteI have a recipe for gooey chocolate butter cake that is DELISH! The girls on Liz's hall called them chocolate chess squares and always asked if I brought them when I came! Courtney C. loved them! Let me know if you want it sometime to make as a change.
Paula - I thought last night that they were similar to gooey butter cakes but knew that they didn't use as much butter. These are good but I want to try the BGC's some time.
ReplyDeleteVC - Thanks! I love zests, they are so flavorful.
Gail - I bet David was glad to have those as a treat! Courtney is hillarious. I bet that chocolate just added to her excitability! :-)
YUMmmmmy! I've never had chess squares before. Or, chess anything before. :) I'll def. try these out.
ReplyDeleteYum, love chess squares and have made them a long time. Those and congo squares were some of the first things I learned to bake :)
ReplyDeleteGail is right about the chocolate ones. It's a Paula Deen recipe and therefore uses lots of buttah and is very good... but very high in calories!!!
Great pictures too, by the way :)
That looks really yummy. I *need* to go bake something now...
ReplyDeleteClaire - that looks so good!! Good for you in taking care of your friend :)
ReplyDelete-Crystal
They look great.
ReplyDeleteAnd so easy to make.
I want to try these now.
Thanks for giving me another reason for eating more dessert!
I was going to say almost the same thing cookbook junkie said -- my grandma used to make something very similar called "gooey butter bars." The lime zest sounds like an awesome addition!
ReplyDeleteAlicat - These bars will have you in "checkmate" so fast! They're that good! HEHE!
ReplyDeleteStacy - I've been wanting to try those Paula Deen bars for a while, except I might try her pumpkin version.
Alisha - Baking IS a need! It is a stress relief and can make other people happy at the same time!
Crystal - Thanks! What else is a treat for but good to give to friends (and eat I suppose!) :-)
Annie - You're right. They are easy to make...and they're easy to eat, too!
Catherine - Thanks for the comment. Don't you love grandmothers' treats? They're the best!
I've made the pumpkin ones too! Pretty good.
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