Gooey Strawberry Earthquake Cake (Printable)

Moist strawberry cake loaded with cream cheese swirls, fresh berries, and white chocolate chips for an indulgent dessert experience.

# 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 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
07 - 2 cups powdered sugar
08 - 1 tsp vanilla extract

→ Add-Ins & Toppings

09 - 1 cup fresh strawberries, diced
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 - In a large bowl, whisk together strawberry cake mix, eggs, vegetable oil, and water until just combined. Pour batter evenly into prepared pan.
03 - In a separate bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract; beat until creamy and fluffy.
04 - Drop spoonfuls of cream cheese mixture randomly over the cake batter.
05 - Sprinkle diced strawberries and white chocolate chips evenly over the top. Add shredded coconut if using.
06 - Use a butter knife to gently swirl the cream cheese mixture through the batter for a marbled effect.
07 - Bake for 40–45 minutes, until edges are set and center is slightly wobbly. Do not overbake; the cake should remain gooey inside.
08 - Cool in pan for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The cream cheese sinks through the batter creating pudding like pockets that make every bite different
  • Its practically impossible to mess up because those earthquake cracks are supposed to happen
  • White chocolate and strawberries were simply meant to be together in a warm cake
02 -
  • The center continues setting as it cools so dont be alarmed if it looks underbaked
  • Slicing it chilled from the fridge gives the cleanest pieces and prettiest presentation
03 -
  • Use a light colored pan to prevent the edges from over browning before the center sets
  • Sprinkle a little sea salt over the white chips before baking to cut the sweetness

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