Description
Earthquake Cake erupts with delightful chocolatey chaos right in your baking pan, creating a deliciously messy dessert that crumbles and swirls with cream cheese and chocolate goodness. Surprise your friends and family with this sweet Southern treat that looks like it crashed and landed perfectly on your dessert plate.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 box German Chocolate Cake Mix
- 3 large eggs
- 1 & ⅓ cup water
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
Supporting Dry Ingredients:
- ⅔ cup sweetened shredded coconut
- ⅔ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup chopped pecans
Cream Cheese Topping:
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter
- 1 pound powdered sugar
Instructions
- Coat a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with non-stick spray. Scatter ⅔ cup coconut, ⅔ cup chocolate chips, and ½ cup pecans across the bottom, creating a textured base layer.
- Mix the German chocolate cake mix with ⅓ cup vegetable oil, 3 large eggs, and 1 & ⅓ cup water in a large bowl. Blend thoroughly until the batter appears smooth and consistent.
- Gently pour the cake batter over the coconut, chocolate chip, and pecan layer, ensuring an even distribution across the pan.
- Melt 1 stick of unsalted butter and 8 oz cream cheese together in a saucepan over low heat, stirring until completely combined and silky.
- Gradually incorporate 1 pound of powdered sugar into the butter-cream cheese mixture. Whisk until the topping becomes creamy and uniform in texture.
- Drizzle the cream cheese mixture across the cake batter. Use a knife to create gentle swirls, creating a marbled appearance.
- Place the pan in a preheated 350°F oven. Bake for 35-45 minutes, watching for the cake to stop jiggling in the center.
- Remove from the oven and let the cake rest for 15-20 minutes before cutting into squares. The cake will have a gooey, slightly uneven surface.
Notes
- Chill the cake briefly for cleaner slicing if the cream cheese layer seems too soft when first out of the oven.
- Swap pecans with walnuts or almonds for different nutty flavor profiles if allergies or preferences require.
- Use a low-fat cream cheese and sugar substitute to create a lighter version of this decadent dessert.
- Check the cake at 35 minutes to prevent potential over-browning, as oven temperatures can vary slightly between models.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35-45 minutes
- Category: Cakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 444 kcal
- Sugar: 38 g
- Sodium: 197 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 44 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg