Inspired by Paula Deen's beloved recipe and with origins in St. Louis, this gooey butter cake lives up to its name. The center is like a lava; a mass of gooey pumpkin spice filling made with cream cheese, eggs, and a whole stick of butter. That's all nestled into a sweet and tender almond flour crust that keeps the oozing at bay until you slice the final product of your baking efforts into mouthwatering squares of pure dessert heaven.

To make the cake

1. Preheat oven to 325F and lightly grease a 9" x 13" glass or ceramic baking dish (metal is not recommended).
2. In a large bowl, combine almond flour, granulated sweetener, baking powder, and salt. Add melted butter, egg, and vanilla extract, and stir well to combine. Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish and press into the bottom and up the sides.

To make the filling

1. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat cream cheese and softened butter until smooth. Beat in powdered and brown sweeteners until well combined, then beat in pumpkin, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla until mixture is uniform and smooth.
2. Pour filling into prepared pan, over the crust. Bake 50-60 minutes, or until sides are set about 2 inches from the edges of the pan, while the center is still jiggly.
3. Remove cake from oven and let cool completely before cutting into squares. Top with lightly sweetened whipped cream if desired.