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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Josephine L
This cake was so fun and super scrumptious! My husband’s birthday is coming up in April, so I will be making it again.
Beth Pierce
Happy early birthday to your husband, Josephine!
Neha
The flavors in this earthquake cake are too good to pass up. Every bite is rich and delicious! Just make sure you use a deep 9×13 dish as it does rise up a little bit.
Beth Pierce
Thanks for the tip, Neha!
Elena
Love this Earthquake Cake recipe, so easy and fun to make!!! it turns out delicious everytime. It is one of our favorite cakes. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mine, Elena!
Donalyn T
This was amazingly delicious – so moist and flavorful. Yum!
Cortney
How long does this cake last in the fridge? Like til its bad
Beth Pierce
So sorry about the delayed response. There has been so much going on. It lasts about 5 days in the fridge.
Alita
This earthquake cake is very rich in flavor. It’s one of our favorites to make.
Beth Pierce
Ours too, Alita!
briannemanz
I would love a yummy cream cheese swirl in this cake! Thank you for your recipe.
Marge
Is the new six cake mixes (around 15 ounces?) okay for this recipe?
Beth Pierce
Yes!
Anjali
I hadn’t actually heard of earthquake cake before I found your recipe but I’m so glad I did! This was so easy to make and turned out perfectly, it was a fun dessert to enjoy with my kids after dinner last night!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Anjali! It really is a fun dessert!
Stacey Crawford
Wow, all the treats I love in one amazing cake and surprisingly easy to prepare. My kids were overjoyed.
TAYLER ROSS
My family adores this earthquake cake! We’ve made it several times, and it’s easy to make and oh so delicious!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Tayler! So glad that they like the cake!
Sara Welch
This was such a fun and delicious dessert; my whole family loved it! Unique, tasty and easy to boot!
Renee
You had me a coconut and chocolate! Always make this when you have people to share it with, or you will be in trouble – it’s so good!
Jilly
This was fantastic! It brought it to a party in December and I can always tell when something is a true hit…an empty pan and requests for the recipe.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Jilly! So glad that everyone like it!
Interior Design Styles
The cake is out of this world omg…I am doing it today, will grab some of the missing items this afternoon. I will let you know how it turns.
Rhian Westbury
This is a scrumptious cake. It baked up perfect and my friends loved it.