Earthquake Cake

This gooey, rich, delicious Earthquake Cake is full of chocolate, pecan, and coconuts and is an explosion of flavor in every bite! Try my Pumpkin Earthquake Cake for a cake with pumpkin and chocolate overload!

Earthquake Cake

I love a cake that’s instructions are: throw in everything but the kitchen sink. This Earthquake Cake is one of those classic cakes and really lives up to its name! It’s similar to a dump cake… but it gets its name from all the cracks, crevices, and valleys on top when it’s done baking.

It has gooey tunnels of goodness all around it which are filled with a chocolate and cream cheese surprise! From the outside, it looks just like your normal cake, but with each and every bite you have the addition of the cream cheese mixture, melty chocolate chips, coconut, and pecans!

Piece of Earthquake Cake on White Plate

Earthquake Cake Recipe

With its chocolate overload, this Earthquake Cake is a must make. You have all sorts of flavors with each fork full and you won’t be able to stop yourself from coming back for more!

Ingredients (full recipe below)

Chocolate cake mix–Follow the instructions on the box to make the cake batter.
Shredded coconut
Chopped pecans
Cream cheese, room temperature (Let the cream cheese sit out for about 15 minutes.)
Butter, melted
Confectioners’ sugar
Vanilla extract
Salt
Chocolate chips–You could also substitute white chocolate chips if you prefer. (I think any candy chips you add would be fun and delicious.)
Chocolate ice cream (optional)

Raw Ingredients for Earthquake Cake

How to Make an Earthquake Cake

This Earthquake Cake is so easy to make, and just like the name implies, it is bursting with flavor! So, preheat the oven to 350°F, prepare a 9×13-inch pan with non-stick spray, and get out the ingredients you need.

First, prepare the cake mix by following the directions on the box.
Next, sprinkle the shredded coconut and pecans on the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
Pour the cake batter on top of the coconut and pecans. Set aside.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the cream cheese, melted butter, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and salt. Beat with a mixer until combined.
Spread the cream cheese mixture on top of the cake batter.
Top with chocolate chips and bake for about 50 minutes, or until the center is set. (To know when the cake is set, give the pan a nudge and make sure the center of the cake doesn’t jiggle.)
Top with chocolate ice cream for the icing, I mean ice cream, on the cake!

Can I Make the Chocolate Cake Mix from Scratch?

Yes! I would recommend using my cake recipe from my Perfect Chocolate Cake recipe. Just mix together the ingredients as you would follow on a box mix. But, of course, don’t bake the cake. You will add the batter to the baking pan to bake with the other layers of the recipe.

Earthquake Cake in Pan with Pieces Removed

Looking for More Cake Recipes?

Brownie Bottom Cheesecake

Snickers Cheesecake Cake

Chocolate Peanut Butter Ooey-Gooey Cake

Dark Chocolate Cake with Buttermilk Pecan Frosting

Earthquake Cake

Gooey, rich, and delicious! This Earthquake Cake is full of chocolate, pecan, and coconuts and is an explosion of flavor with each bite!

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Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: earthquake cake

Servings: people

Calories: 495kcal

Author: Amanda Rettke--iambaker.net

Ingredients

1 box (15.25 ounces) chocolate cake mix, mixed according to package directions
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup (1 stick or 113g) butter, melted
2 1/2 cups (312.5g) confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
chocolate ice cream, optional

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350° and grease a 9x13-inch pan with cooking spray.
Prepare the cake batter according to package directions.
Sprinkle your coconut and pecans onto the bottom of the prepared pan.
Spread your cake mix over the top. Set aside.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the cream cheese, butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and salt.
Beat with a mixer until combined. Dollop the mixture over the cake, and spread it out.
Sprinkle chocolate chips on top and bake for about 50 minutes, or until the center is set.
Serve warm with ice cream, if desired.