Gooey Strawberry Earthquake Cake (Printable)

Strawberry cake with cream cheese swirls and white chocolate chips creates a moist, gooey dessert with fresh fruit pockets throughout.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cake Base

01 - 1 box (15.25 oz) strawberry cake mix
02 - 3 large eggs
03 - 1/2 cup vegetable oil
04 - 1 cup water

→ Cream Cheese Filling

05 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
06 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
07 - 2 cups powdered sugar
08 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Add-Ins and Toppings

09 - 1 cup fresh strawberries, diced
10 - 1 cup white chocolate chips
11 - 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut (optional)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan thoroughly with cooking spray or butter.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together the strawberry cake mix, eggs, vegetable oil, and water until just combined. Pour batter evenly into prepared pan.
03 - In a separate bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract; continue beating until fluffy and well incorporated.
04 - Drop spoonfuls of cream cheese mixture randomly over surface of cake batter, distributing evenly across pan.
05 - Sprinkle diced strawberries and white chocolate chips evenly over top. Add shredded coconut if using.
06 - Use a butter knife to gently swirl cream cheese mixture through batter, creating marbled pattern. Do not overmix.
07 - Bake for 40-45 minutes until edges are set but center remains slightly wobbly. The gooey texture is intentional, so avoid overbaking.
08 - Cool in pan for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving. Cake will continue to set as it cools.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The center stays irresistibly gooey even days later, like a little secret surprise waiting inside every slice
  • It's practically impossible to mess up, which I learned after making it at midnight for a forgotten birthday
02 -
  • The center should be slightly wobbly when you remove it from the oven, and waiting for it to finish setting as it cools is absolutely worth the anticipation
  • Room temperature ingredients for the filling make the difference between silky smooth cream cheese swirls and a chunky, separated mess
03 -
  • Run your knife under hot water between slices for the cleanest cuts through the gooey center
  • The wobblier the center when it comes out of the oven, the more decadent and fudge-like your final texture will be

Go Back