Strawberry Earthquake Cake (Printable)
Soft strawberry cake with cream cheese swirls, white chocolate, and fresh berries creates this irresistible marbled dessert.
# What You 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 & 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)
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish thoroughly.
02 - In a large bowl, combine strawberry cake mix, eggs, vegetable oil, and water. Mix until completely blended and smooth. Spread batter evenly in 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 incorporated and no lumps remain.
04 - Drop spoonfuls of cream cheese mixture randomly over the cake batter, leaving some batter visible between dollops.
05 - Using a knife or skewer, gently swirl the cream cheese mixture through the cake batter. Avoid over-mixing to maintain distinct marbled patterns.
06 - Sprinkle white chocolate chips, chopped strawberries, coconut, and nuts evenly over the entire surface.
07 - Bake for 40-45 minutes until edges are golden brown and center is set. A toothpick inserted should come out with moist crumbs but not wet batter.
08 - Allow cake to cool in pan for at least 30 minutes before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The contrast of tangy cream cheese against sweet strawberry cake creates layers of flavor that keep everyone guessing
- Its the kind of dessert that looks impressive but actually does most of the work itself in the oven
02 -
- Over-swirling will blend the layers too much, so resist the urge to keep playing with the knife
- The center continues cooking after you remove it from the oven, so pulling it out when it still looks slightly underdone is actually correct
03 -
- Using room temperature ingredients for both the batter and cream cheese mixture prevents any unwanted lumps
- A light hand with the swirling knife creates the most dramatic marbled appearance