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This earthquake cake is rich, gooey, and packed with layers of chocolate, coconut, pecans, and sweet cream cheese swirls. Made with a simple boxed cake mix, this decadent dessert comes together quickly but tastes completely homemade.
If you enjoy this recipe, you’ll also love these 10 Tricks to Make a Box Cake Mix Taste Better and my Boston Cream Pie With a Boxed Cake Mix!
Why you’ll love this earthquake chocolate cake recipe!
If you love an easy dessert and have a hankering for chocolate, I’ve got plenty of options for you. Try Chocolate Cherry Dump Cake if you like some fruit with your chocolate or Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies for a convenient handheld treat. However, for ultimate decadence, there’s nothing better than this earthquake cake!
Earthquake cake is a sticky, sweet chocolate cake that has a coconut and pecan crust and a cream cheese swirl. The sweetened cream cheese and chocolate chips marble into the chocolate cake batter, causing the cake to crack as it bakes. The result is a cake that looks like it has just been through an earthquake!
- Easy to Make: Using a boxed cake mix keeps prep simple and fast.
- Ultra Decadent: Chocolate cake, cream cheese, coconut, pecans, and chocolate chips all in one dessert? Yes, please.
- Perfectly Gooey Texture: The cream cheese swirl creates rich pockets of sweetness throughout the cake.
- Crowd-Pleasing Dessert: This cake is always a hit at potlucks, parties, and holidays.
Table of Contents
Ingredient Notes
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Sweetened shredded coconut – Creates a chewy, sweet base layer.
- Chopped pecans – Add crunch and nutty flavor.
- Chocolate cake mix – The shortcut ingredient that makes this recipe easy.
- Eggs – Help bind the cake batter together.
- Canola oil – Keeps the cake moist.
- Milk – Adds richness to the batter.
- Vanilla extract – Enhances the chocolate flavor.
- Chocolate chips – Add extra pockets of melty chocolate.
- Cream cheese – Creates the signature creamy swirl.
- Butter – Makes the cream cheese layer extra rich.
- Powdered sugar – Sweetens the cream cheese mixture.
Variations
- Replace the canola oil with vegetable oil. Coconut oil also works well and enhances the coconut flavor of the cake.
- Try using white chocolate chips in place of regular chocolate chips. They look good inside the dark chocolate cake and have a mild, sweet taste.
- Replace the pecans with chopped peanuts or sliced almonds. Both kinds of nuts would be delicious in this cake.
- Unsweetened coconut will work in place of sweetened coconut.
- Use a different flavored cake mix. German chocolate cake mix, devil’s food cake mix, vanilla cake mix, peanut butter cake mix, or strawberry cake mix all taste delicious.
How to Make Earthquake Cake
- Create the coconut layer: Sprinkle the shredded coconut and chopped pecans evenly across the bottom of the dish.
- Make the cake batter: Whisk together the cake mix, eggs, oil, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Pour the batter over the coconut and pecans, then sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the top.
- Make the cream cheese mixture: Beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and beat again until fluffy. Drop spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture across the cake batter. Swirl gently.
- Bake: Bake for about 50 minutes, or until the cake is set and a toothpick inserted into the cake portion comes out clean. Let the cake cool for about 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Storage + Reheating
- To Store: Cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
- To Reheat: Warm slices in the microwave in 20-second increments.
- Serve Cold or Warm: This cake tastes amazing either way.
Frequently Asked Questions
The cream cheese swirl causes the cake to crack and shift while baking, creating an “earthquake” appearance.
Absolutely! German chocolate and devil’s food are especially delicious.
Yes it does, because of the cream cheese layer.
Yes! Wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months.
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Earthquake Cake
Equipment
- 1 9×13 baking dish
- 2 Mixing bowls
- 1 Hand mixer
Ingredients
- 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- 1 box (15.25 ounces) chocolate cake mix
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup canola oil
- 1 ¼ cups milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup chocolate chips
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9×13 baking dish with butter or baking spray.
- Sprinkle the shredded coconut and chopped pecans in the bottom of the pan, making an even layer.1 cup sweetened shredded coconut, ½ cup chopped pecans
- Add the cake mix, eggs, canola oil, milk, and vanilla to a large mixing bowl and whisk into a smooth batter. Pour the cake batter into the baking pan on top of the coconut and pecans. Spread the cake batter evenly in the pan using a spatula or spoon.1 box (15.25 ounces) chocolate cake mix, 3 eggs, ½ cup canola oil, 1 ¼ cups milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top of the cake batter in the pan.½ cup chocolate chips
- In a separate bowl, use a hand mixer to beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl so everything is evenly incorporated.8 ounces cream cheese, softened, ½ cup butter, softened
- Add the powdered sugar to the bowl with the cream cheese and beat again until the mixture is smooth and fluffy.2 cups powdered sugar
- Scoop tablespoon-sized dollops of the cream cheese mixture on top of the cake batter, spacing the cream cheese scoops evenly over the entire pan.
- Use a knife to gently swirl the cream cheese and cake batter together. I like to run the knife through each dollop of cream cheese once, swirling it into the batter but not mixing too much. You don’t want to actually blend the cream cheese into the cake, just make it pretty and swirled!
- Bake the cake for about 50 minutes. The center of the cake will spring back to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake will come out cleanly (just be sure to put the toothpick into the pure cake and not into a cream cheese section which remains wet even after baking).
- Let the earthquake cake cool for about 10 minutes, then slice and serve straight from the pan!
Notes
- Don’t over-swirl the batter: You want visible ribbons of cream cheese throughout the cake.
- Grease the pan well: This helps prevent sticking because the cake is very gooey.
- Use softened cream cheese and butter: This creates a smooth swirl without lumps.
- Check doneness carefully: Avoid testing directly in the cream cheese sections since they stay soft.
- Serve warm for maximum gooeyness: This cake is incredible while slightly warm.
I just made this cake and it was so incredibly easy! I will definitely make it again. My family was obsessed! Thanks for the great recipe
Hello, thank you. I am very enjoy to know more.
Any substitution ideas for the coconut?? No one is our family likes it.