Classic St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake vs Eierkuchen (German Pancakes)

Both dishes share egg, butter, milk and sugar, but use them very differently. The gooey butter cake is baked in two layers: a pressed base of flour, sugar, melted butter and egg, under a rich topping of cream cheese, vanilla and powdered sugar that stays slightly gooey in the center. Eierkuchen turn the same staples into a thin, lightly sweetened batter that rests, then fries in butter until golden, with slightly crisp edges. The cake is dense and very sweet, while the pancakes are thin and tender, ready to be rolled or folded with sugar or jam.