Earthquake Cake is a fun cake that combines a box cake mix with coconut, pecans, and a cream cheese swirl. Once baked, the cake has crevices and cracks inside, like a cake that has been through an earthquake. The result is an ooey, gooey, scrumptiously moist chocolate cake with pockets of cream cheese, pecans, and coconut. It is almost like the frosting has been baked right into the cake.
Easy Earthquake Cake
This moist chocolate taste explosion with layers of coconut, pecans, chocolate, and cream cheese is one of our family’s favorite cakes. It is so easy to make and fun as it looks like an earthquake. I love to prepare it for potlucks, family gatherings, and neighborhood shindigs. This decadent cake serves between twelve and sixteen people and is perfect for small parties with other sweet treats. If you like this cake, try zucchini cake, Texas sheet cake, spice cake, and cream cheese pound cake.
Earthquake Cake Ingredients
To make Earthquake Cake, you will need pecans, sweetened shredded coconut, chocolate fudge cake mix (see below for other cake mix choices), eggs, vegetable oil or canola oil, semisweet chocolate chips, flour, butter cream cheese, and powdered sugar.
How do you make an Earthquake Cake?
Start by spraying a deep 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Next, sprinkle the chopped pecans and shredded coconut evenly on the bottom of the dish. In a large bowl, prepare the cake mix according to the instructions on the box. Sprinkle a little less than a cup of chocolate chips with a bit of cooking oil and stir to coat. Now add a little flour and stir to coat again. Stir the chips into the cake mix and pour the cake mix onto the top of the coconut and pecan layer.
Blend the cream cheese until smooth and lump-free using a stand or hand mixer on low. Slowly add the melted, slightly cooled butter and blend until smooth. Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time and mix until smooth and creamy, scraping down the bowl and beaters several times with a spatula.
Now drop dollops of the cream cheese mixture by rounded tablespoons onto the top of the cake batter. It does not need to be perfect or uniform. It should be wild with random dollops, as this is such a fun cake. Sprinkle a few chocolate chips on the top and bake for about forty minutes.
Recipe Tips
- Preheat the oven and load the cake on the middle rack in the center of the oven.
- Use a deep 13×9 inch baking dish so that there is no overflow. The pan I use is 2 1/2 inches deep.
- This fun cake looks like a hot mess, which is part of its charm. Do not worry too much about perfection with this cake.
- Other nuts to substitute include walnuts or almonds.
- You can use any chocolate cake mix. I used Devil’s Food cake mix this time, but you can use Chocolate Fudge or German Chocolate Cake Mix.
- The cake is done when the chocolate cake batter in the center appears set and springs back a little bit when touched. This is usually right around 40 minutes. The toothpick test will not work on this cake because of the gooey cream cheese sections.
- Try substituting milk chocolate chips or butterscotch chips for semisweet chocolate chips.
- This cake is absolutely over the top, served warm with or without vanilla ice cream, so plan accordingly if possible.
Storage
As this cake contains cream cheese, err on the side of caution and store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.
To freeze, first cool completely. Then, cover with 2 layers of plastic wrap. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight
What cake mixes can you use for Earthquake Cake?
- Dark Chocolate Fudge
- Devil’s Food
- German Chocolate
- Triple Chocolate Fudge
- Swiss Chocolate
- Double Chocolate
- Dark Chocolate
- Lemon with white chocolate chips
- Strawberry with white chocolate chips
More chocolate recipes you will love!
Earthquake Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
- 1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
- 1 box chocolate fudge cake mix
- Large eggs oil and water according to cake mix package
- 1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon canola oil or vegetable oil
- 1/2 tablespoon flour
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 8-ounce package cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a deep 9x13-inch pan with nonstick baking spray. Evenly sprinkle pecans and coconut in the bottom of the pan.
- In a large bowl, mix the cake according to box instructions with egg, vegetable oil, and water. In a small bowl, mix 3/4 cup chocolate chips with canola oil. Sprinkle with flour and stir to combine. Stir the chocolate chips into the cake mix and spoon it in the baking dish over the pecans and coconut.
- Melt the butter in the microwave and let it cool slightly. Using a mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth and lump free. Slowly add the melted butter and beat until smooth. Add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time and mix until smooth. Dollop the cream cheese mixture by rounded tablespoons randomly over the top of the cake. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips over the top.
- Bake for 40 minutes or just until the chocolate cake portion is just set.
Notes
- Preheat the oven and load the cake on the middle rack in the center of the oven.
- Use a deep 13x9 inch baking dish so that there is no overflow. The pan I use is 2 1/2 inches deep.
- This fun cake ends up looking like a hot mess which is part of its charm. Do not worry too much about perfection with this cake.
- Other nuts to substitute include walnuts or almonds.
- You can use any chocolate cake mix. This time I used Devil's Food cake mix, but you can use Chocolate Fudge or German Chocolate Cake Mix.
- The cake is done when the chocolate cake batter in the center appears to be set and springs back a little bit when it is touched. This is usually right around 40 minutes. The toothpick test will not work on this cake because of the gooey cream cheese sections.
- This cake is absolutely over the top, served warm with or without vanilla ice cream, so plan accordingly if at all possible.
- As this cake contains cream cheese, err on the side of caution and store leftovers in the fridge.
- To freeze, first cool completely. The cover with 2 layers of plastic wrap. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Nutrition
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Laura
This was absolutely delicious! This cake is the best thing ever!
Lavanda Michelle
I’ve never had an earthquake cake before, and I am definitely not opposed to trying it. It looks so delicious, great recipe. Thanks for sharing!
Lisa
Woah, this looks so yummy! And something I could totally make with the kiddos. Thanks for sharing.
Sarah Stockley
The perfect amount of gooey deliciousness. I love how this cake turned out it really was very tasty and everybody enjoyed it.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Sarah! It is such a fun cake!
Don Goble
Let me Begin by saying that I don’t eat a lot of chocolates. However, my wife is a huge chocolate fan so I bought the triple chocolate fudge cake to make this. I haven’t been able to stop eating it myself which is a testimony in itself. I can’t emphasize enough though the importance of having a deep 9×13-in pan. This ended up spilling over quite a bit into the oven which is such a waste of good cake batter and cream cheese. Thanks for this great recipe!
Beth Pierce
Thanks Don. I will put a note on the recipe. So glad that you liked it.
Tracey
My family absolutely loves this cake… And so do my neighbors! Easy to make and tastes great. My husband likes to keep all the ingredients in hand in case of late night hankerings.
Beth Pierce
Thanks Tracey! I am so happy to hear that your family loves it.
Knycx Journeying
I just love how good it looks and from the picture I think it tastes lovely and wonderful too. Thanks a lot for the recipe!
briannemanzb
I love this combination of coconut, pecans, and cream cheese. It was darn near perfect. I cannot wait to make this earthquake cake again!
Ntensibe Edgar
This was a good cake to be used for sharpening my baking skills. I put a little more coconut on tip of the cake batter. It was so incredibly yummy and we really enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Rosey
The most interesting concept for a cake that I’ve seen in awhile. I’d love to make this for the kids.
Monidipa
I have never heard of earthquake cake but my birthday is the day after tomorrow so I can treat myself by making it. Loved the recipe.
Heather
OMG this looks so chocolatey! I can’t wait to make this. My family is going to love it.
Stephanie
This cake combines all of my favorite things and is amazing! My boys are already asking when we can make it again.
Beth Pierce
Thanks Stephanie! So glad that they like it. It is a delicious cake!
Crystal Williams
Would it be okay to prepare and cook the day before it’s going to be eaten?
Beth Pierce
Yes it would be. In my opinion it is even better the next day. Just remember to refrigerate it. Take it out of the refrigerator about 1 hour before serving.
Petro
Oh my goodness! This cake looks incredibly delicious, can’t wait to make it! Thanks for the recipe!
Julie
This is such a fun and drool worthy cake. The grandkids are going to love baking this with me.