Earthquake Cake

A baking dish full of earthquake cake with the corner slice missing.

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5 from 2 votes

This gooey earthquake cake is loaded with coconut, pecans, cream cheese, and chocolate chips. It's always a winner!

Prep Time15

Cook Time50

Total Time1 5

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: earthquake cake

Servings: servings

Calories: 563kcal

Author: Kasey Schwartz

Equipment

1 9x13 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 9x13 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!

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