Earthquake Cake
With crunchy pecans, sweet coconut, a fudgy chocolate cake base, molten cream cheese ribbons, and melted chocolate chips, it’s a decadent treat that looks like an earthquake hit it—and tastes like heaven.
Equipment
- Deep 9 x 13-inch Baking Dish
- Electric Mixer
- Mixing Bowls
- Rubber Spatula or Offset Knife
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
Ingredients
Base Layers
- 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Cake
- 1 (15.25 oz) box German chocolate cake mix
- Plus ingredients called for on the box (typically eggs, water, and oil)
Cream Cheese Filling
- ½ cup salted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 (8 oz) block cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
Toppings
- ¾ cup chocolate chips (semi-sweet or milk chocolate)
Instructions
Preparing the Layers
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a deep 9 x 13-inch baking dish with butter or non-stick spray.
- Evenly sprinkle shredded coconut and chopped pecans in the bottom of your baking dish. This will become the flavorful, chewy-crunchy base of your cake.
- Prepare the German chocolate cake mix according to the package directions. Most mixes call for water, eggs, and oil—follow those exact measurements.Once mixed, pour the cake batter directly over the coconut and pecans, covering them completely.
- In a medium bowl, beat together the softened butter, cream cheese, and vanilla using an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar and mix until fully combined.
- Dollop spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture all over the top of the cake batter. Then, take a knife or spatula and gently swirl the cream cheese into the cake batter—don’t overmix. You want distinct ribbons of gooey goodness.
- Sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over the top. As the cake bakes, these will melt into little pools of chocolate gold.