Strawberry Earthquake Cake (Printable version)

A visually striking dessert with strawberry, cream cheese, and white chocolate creating beautiful marbled swirls.

# What you'll 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 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
07 - 2 cups powdered sugar
08 - 1 tsp vanilla extract

→ Add-Ins & Topping

09 - 1 cup chopped fresh strawberries
10 - 1 cup white chocolate chips
11 - 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan thoroughly.
02 - Combine the cake mix, eggs, vegetable oil, and water in a large bowl. Mix until completely smooth. Pour batter evenly into the prepared pan.
03 - Beat together the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract in a separate bowl until creamy and smooth.
04 - Drop spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture evenly over the cake batter.
05 - Scatter chopped strawberries and white chocolate chips over the top. Sprinkle with shredded coconut if using.
06 - Using a butter knife, gently swirl the cream cheese, cake batter, and toppings together to create a marbled, earthquake effect. Do not overmix.
07 - Bake for 40-45 minutes, until the center is just set and a toothpick inserted comes out with a few moist crumbs.
08 - Cool completely in the pan before slicing and serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The combination of tangy cream cheese and sweet white chocolate creates layers of flavor that keep everyone guessing what makes it so irresistible
  • It looks like you spent hours creating that gorgeous marbled effect, but the whole thing comes together in under 15 minutes of active prep time
02 -
  • The center should still jiggle slightly when you remove it from the oven because it continues cooking as it cools
  • Over-swirling blends the layers too much and you lose that dramatic earthquake effect everyone loves
03 -
  • Chop your strawberries into smaller pieces rather than large chunks so they distribute evenly throughout the batter
  • Use room temperature cream cheese and butter to prevent lumps in your filling layer

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