Strawberry Earthquake Cake (Printable)
Decadent swirled dessert featuring strawberry, cream cheese, and white chocolate on a tender, moist base.
# What You'll Need:
→ For the Cake
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 & Topping
09 - 1 cup white chocolate chips
10 - 1 cup fresh strawberries, chopped
11 - 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut (optional)
12 - 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish thoroughly.
02 - In a large bowl, combine strawberry cake mix, eggs, oil, and water. Mix until well blended and smooth. Spread evenly in the prepared baking dish.
03 - In a separate bowl, beat softened cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract; continue beating until fully combined and fluffy.
04 - Drop spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture randomly over the cake batter, spacing them evenly across the surface.
05 - Use a knife or skewer to gently swirl the cream cheese mixture through the cake batter, creating a marbled pattern. Be careful not to overmix.
06 - Sprinkle white chocolate chips, chopped strawberries, coconut, and nuts evenly over the top of the batter.
07 - Bake for 40-45 minutes, until edges are golden brown and center is set. A tester should come out with a few moist crumbs but not wet batter.
08 - Cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- Its impossible to mess up because the messy cracks and crevices are exactly what make it gorgeous
- The contrast between tangy cream cheese swirled through sweet strawberry cake is the kind of flavor combination that makes people go quiet after their first bite
02 -
- The center will still look slightly underbaked when you pull it out, but it continues cooking as it cools and this is what keeps it from becoming dry
- Swirling too vigorously will blend the layers completely instead of creating those distinct marbled pockets everyone wants
03 -
- Run your knife under hot water and wipe it dry between cuts for the cleanest slices through all those messy layers
- If you are taking this to a party, line your baking dish with parchment paper with overhanging edges so you can lift the whole cake out for easy transport