Earthquake Cake is a chocolate lover’s dream! Made with German chocolate cake mix, coconut, pecans, chocolate chips, and a creamy cream cheese swirl, it bakes into a gooey, crackly dessert with no frosting needed. It’s irresistibly fun and delicious!
Why Is It Called Earthquake Cake
An earthquake cake gets its name from how it “shakes up” as it bakes. The layers mix and crack, mimicking the shifting Earth. In the oven, cream cheese swirls through the batter, creating cracks and pockets of sweetness, while coconut and pecans add chewy and crunchy textures. The result? A dessert bursting with flavor and a perfectly messy look!
Earthquake Cake Ingredients
- German Chocolate Cake mix: This mix forms the base of the cake and provides a rich, moist chocolate flavor. Although German chocolate cake mix is traditionally used for this recipe, you can use your favorite boxed chocolate cake mix or make your own chocolate cake recipe from scratch if you have a recipe you love.
- Sweetened shredded coconut
- Pecans
- Semi sweet chocolate chips: Adds a burst of gooey chocolate as they melt during baking, contributing to the rich, decadent experience of the cake.
- Cream cheese: Adds a creamy, tangy swirl throughout the cake. Make sure your cream cheese is softened to room temperature.
- Unsalted butter: Make sure it is melted and cooled before mixing.
- Vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar: The powdered sugar sweetens the cream cheese, giving it a smooth, frosting-like texture as it bakes into the cake.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Earthquake Cake
- Prep the Pan: Spary a 9×13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Begin At The Bottom: Sprinkle the bottom of the prepared baking dish with coconut and pecans. Set aside.
- Make The Cake Mix: In a large bowl, prepare the cake mix according to the package directions. Use the recommended amount of water, eggs, and oil called for on the back of your box.
- Pour In The Pan: Pour the cake batter over the coconut and pecans and sprinkle the chocolate chips on top. Set aside.
- Make The Cream Cheese Mixture: Using a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth and fluffy. Add the melted butter and vanilla and mix again until smooth and fluffy. Mix in the powdered sugar until the butter cream cheese mixture is thick and smooth.
- Bake The Batter: Spoon dollops of cream cheese mixture over the top of the cake batter layer and swirl into the cake batter. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 45-50 minutes.
- Serve: Cool on the counter for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
I like to allow the earthquake cake to cool down on the counter until it’s just warm, but not hot, although you can certainly serve it at room temperature.
Enjoy it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a dollop of whipped cream, or a drizzle of caramel sauce. Lightly dusting powdered sugar can add an elegant touch, making it look even more tempting!
Tips & Variations
- Dessert Is Done: This cake is done baking when the center doesn’t wobble when the baking dish is lightly shaken. The toothpick test will not work for this cake to check for doneness, as this cake should be served while still warm with a gooey texture.
- Create Clean Cuts: For cleaner cuts, you will want to allow the cake to cool completely before slicing and serving.
- Prepare With Peanut Butter: For a peanut butter earthcake cake, replace the butter in the cream cheese mixture with creamy peanut butter. This will give the frosting a delicious peanut butter flavor!
- Switch up the Nuts: You can switch up the nuts; try using walnuts for a buttery crunch, almonds for a mild nuttiness, hazelnuts for an earthy flavor, macadamia nuts for a tropical twist, or cashews for a soft, sweet option. You can also omit the nuts entirely for a nut-free version that’s just as delicious!
- Have Fun With Other Flavors: Feel free to revise this recipe and have some fun with other Earthquake cake flavors. Make a pumpkin earthquake cake for Thanksgiving or a strawberry earthquake cake for Valentine’s Day, or use dark chocolate fudge, devil’s food cake mix, triple chocolate fudge, etc. instead of the German chocolate cake mix.
Proper Storage
- To Store: Once cooled completely, leftovers can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- To Freeze: To freeze this cake, tightly wrap the cooled cake with plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before slicing, reheating and serving.
More EAsy Cake Recipes
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Earthquake Cake
Serves — 12
Earthquake Cake explodes with decadent flavors and textures. It's packed with chocolate, coconut, and pecans, with pockets of cream cheese swirled and baked right into the batter!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Ingredients
- ¾ cup sweetened shredded coconut
- ¾ cup pecans roughly chopped
- 15.25 ounce box German Chocolate Cake mix mixed according to package directions. 1 cup water, 3 large eggs and ½ cup vegetable oil for Duncan Hines brand used to for this recipe
- ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 8 ounces block cream cheese room temperature
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted and cooled
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups powdered sugar sifted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13 glass baking dish with non-stick bakers spray.
- Evenly sprinkle the bottom of the prepared baking dish with the sweetened shredded coconut and chopped pecans. Set aside.¾ cup sweetened shredded coconut, ¾ cup pecans
- Mix the German chocolate cake mix according to the package directions using the recommended amount of water, eggs and oil that your brand of box mix calls for.15.25 ounce box German Chocolate Cake mix
- Pour the prepared cake batter evenly over the coconut and pecans in the baking dish. Sprinkle the semi-sweet chocolate chips evenly over the German chocolate cake batter and set aside.¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, using an electric mixer on medium speed, for 1-2 minutes or until smooth and fluffy.8 ounces block cream cheese
- Add the melted butter and vanilla extract. Mix again until fully combined and the mixture is smooth and fluffy.½ cup unsalted butter, 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- Add the sifted powdered sugar and mix on low speed until the cream cheese mixture is thick and smooth.3 cups powdered sugar
- Add the cream cheese mixture, in large dollops, to the German chocolate cake layer.
- Using a butter knife, swirl the cream cheese mixture into the cake batter.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the center of the cake doesn’t wobble when the baking dish is lightly shaken.
- Allow the cake to cool on the counter for 5 minutes before serving.
Jenn’s Notes
Storage :
- To Store: Leftovers can be stored, once cooled completely, in the refrigerator for 3-4 days in a covered container.
- To Freeze: To freeze this cake, tightly wrap the cooled cake with plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before slicing, reheating and serving.
- This cake is done baking when the center doesn’t wobble when the baking dish is lightly shaken. The toothpick test will not work for this cake to check for doneness, as this cake should be served while still warm with a gooey texture.
- For cleaner cuts, you will want to allow the cake to cool completely before slicing and serving.
- For a peanut butter earthcake cake, replace the butter in the cream cheese mixture with creamy peanut butter. This will give the frosting a delicious peanut butter flavor!
- Feel free to revise this recipe and have some fun with other Earthquake cake flavors. Make a pumpkin earthquake cake for Thanksgiving, a strawberry earthquake cake for Valentine’s Day, or use dark chocolate fudge, devil’s food, triple chocolate fudge, etc. instead of the German chocoalte cake mix.
Nutrition Info
Calories: 476kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 400mg | Potassium: 187mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 52g | Vitamin A: 255IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 160mg | Iron: 2mg
Very confusing. The list of ingredients in the write-up is not the same as on the recipe card. Different quantities. Different instructions – use the instructions on the cake mix box vs. don’t. I’d like to make this but don’t dare with the cost of ingredients being what it is. Can you unmuddle this please?
Hi there! I am so sorry! You literally caught us as we were updating this recipe! The recipe card was updated, but the post was not. It should all match now! So sorry about that. Periodically we will test and modify a post to make sure everything is working perfectly. We made a few changes to this to make it even better and you caught us as we were doing it! Thank you for your feedback and I hope this recipe doesn’t disappoint! xoxo
Thank you so much. I’ve since found a couple more of your recipes that I’d like to try. I like your site because a number of your recipes are unique, not just a repeat of what I see on site after site.
I’m really curious to know if instead of the coconut & pecans layered on bottom, mixing coconut pecan FROSTING with the cream cheese mixture to dollop & swirl into the cake would work out OK?
Would anyone have thoughts on that??