Irresistible Strawberry Earthquake Cake (Print version)

A luscious, gooey cake bursting with fresh strawberries and cream cheese swirl, featuring a unique marbled earthquake appearance.

# What goes in:

→ Strawberry Layer

01 - 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
02 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

→ Cake Base

03 - 1 box (15.25 oz) strawberry cake mix
04 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
05 - 3 large eggs
06 - 1 cup milk

→ Cream Cheese Swirl

07 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
08 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
09 - 2 cups powdered sugar
10 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Add-Ins

11 - 1 cup white chocolate chips
12 - 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut (optional)

# Cooking steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan thoroughly.
02 - In a medium bowl, toss the sliced strawberries with granulated sugar. Set aside to macerate.
03 - In a large bowl, combine strawberry cake mix, melted butter, eggs, and milk. Mix until smooth. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
04 - Evenly scatter sugared strawberries, white chocolate chips, and shredded coconut over the cake batter.
05 - In a separate bowl, beat cream cheese and softened butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract, mixing until fluffy and fully combined.
06 - Drop spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture over the cake batter. Use a butter knife to gently swirl the cream cheese into the batter, creating a marbled effect—do not overmix.
07 - Bake for 38–42 minutes, or until the cake is set around the edges but still slightly gooey in the center. Do not overbake—the earthquake look comes from the cracked, gooey top.
08 - Cool in the pan for 15–20 minutes before slicing and serving warm or at room temperature.

# Tips from flavorandfeast:

01 -
  • The cream cheese swirl sinks into the batter creating pockets of pure bliss
  • Its impossible to mess up because the cracks and crevices are supposed to be there
02 -
  • Overbaking kills the gooey factor so pull it out even if you think its not quite done
  • The cracks and sinkholes are the whole point of this cake so do not panic when it looks chaotic
03 -
  • Use a light colored pan to prevent the edges from overbaking before the center sets
  • Let the cake cool completely before trying to slice it or you will end up with a mess on your plate

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