Earthquake Cake
Oh, my goodness, Earthquake Cake is such a delight. Chocolate lovers and Cheesecake lovers will love the combination of flavors in this “wreck” of a cake! Coconut and pecans are placed at the bottom of a baking dish. This is topped with German chocolate cake batter and then a cream cheese layer.
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While the cake bakes, all the ingredients perform a seismic shift and an “earthquake” occurs. All that yummy chocolate and cheesecake, along with coconut and pecans cracks as the cake bakes and cools so that craters, crevices and gorges form, much like Grand Canyon. It is amazing.
A couple of months ago we had a houseful of company for lunch after church one Sunday and one of the gals brought this fabulous cake. Decadent doesn’t even begin to describe this ooey, gooey affair with chocolate! It was so mouthwatering. I could have eaten gobs of this stuff, but restrained myself because I have such a dessert addiction anyway. Besides, I wanted to make sure everyone else got a piece. 🙂
Earthquake Cake is a quick and easy dessert that’s great to make for any kind of holiday party, birthday, special occasions like anniversaries or baby showers, and certainly anytime you’re having company! Everyone will rush for a piece of this luscious cake.
Quite frankly, it doesn’t need any chocolate syrup poured over top, although I did that for the pictures. It has plenty of flavor, plenty of sugar, and plenty to satisfy any sweet tooth craving without adding chocolate syrup, ice cream or whipped cream. But if you just can’t help yourself–well have at it! The only addition I would make is to add chocolate chips to the bottom layer before the cake mix is poured over top. (Yes, I do like my chocolate). 🙂
If you’re looking for a wonderful dessert to knock the socks off your family and friends, then Earthquake Cake is the dessert that will do it. It is so delicious everyone will want seconds and thirds. No kidding. So be generous and don’t hog the whole dessert for yourself. Allow everyone else to get a piece, too. Otherwise, you will be scrambling to make a second Earthquake Cake shortly thereafter!
This lovely cake was featured on Recipe Lion, on this post. You may also enjoy my Red Velvet Earthquake Cake, Funfetti Earthquake Cake, Pina Colada Earthquake Cake or Carrot Cake Earthquake Cake.
Earthquake Cake is sensational. No kidding.
You can see the crack down the center of this piece of Earthquake Cake. The cake performs a seismic shift while baking and everything ends up moved and shifted in it’s place! 🙂
Each bite of Earthquake Cake is so delectable. You will be wanting more than one slice!
Here you can see that part of the cheesecake layer has sunk to the bottom while part of it remained on top! So yummy.
Here’s what I did.
I used these ingredients for Earthquake Cake. I would add chocolate chips as well when making this again.
Grease and flour a 9×13″ baking dish really well. This is really important if you don’t want the cake to stick. Layer pecans on the bottom of the dish. Top with coconut. Set aside. (If using chocolate chips, add them here).
Follow the directions on the back of the German Chocolate cake mix and combine a German Chocolate cake mix, eggs, oil and water.
Whisk ingredients to combine. Spread batter evenly over top of the coconut and pecans in baking dish.
In a small saucepan, melt butter with cream cheese over low to medium heat.
With a whisk, break up the cream cheese and continue stirring until cream cheese melts and becomes smooth.
Remove saucepan from heat. Whisk in powdered sugar to combine well.
Spread cream cheese layer over top of chocolate batter in baking dish. Smooth the top.
Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until cake tests done with a toothpick.
This is the interior of the cake.
Earthquake Cake will get rave reviews from your family and guests.
Serve Earthquake Cake plain, with chocolate sauce, or with ice cream or whipped cream. Just serve it!
Here’s the explosion! Earthquake Cake is a fun cake that’s perfect for Valentine’s Day and other holidays.
Here’s the recipe.
EARTHQUAKE CAKE
(Recipe adapted from Hannah Noice, Ovilla Road Baptist Church, Ovilla, TX)
Earthquake Cake
Equipment
- 1 9x13" glass baking dish
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 electric mixer
- 1 wooden spoon
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- 1 nut chopper if nuts are not previously chopped
- 1 small sauce pan
- 1 whisk
Ingredients
- 1 German Chocolate Cake Mix
- 1 cup coconut
- 1 1/2 cups pecans chopped (measure after chopping nuts)
- 8 oz. cream cheese
- 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
- 4 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Grease and flour a 9x13” baking dish.
- Spread pecans and coconut in the bottom of the prepared dish.
- Mix cake mix according to package directions.
- Spread over top of pecans and coconut.
- Melt butter and cream cheese over low to medium heat in small saucepan.
- Remove from heat.
- Add powdered sugar and whisk to combine.
- Spread powdered sugar mixture over top of cake batter in baking dish.
- Smooth the top.
- Bake for 45 minutes or until cake tests done.
- Cool completely before cutting into squares.
- Store covered tightly.
- After 2 days, store in refrigerator.
Notes
© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen
Nutrition
- 1 [url href=”http://www.duncanhines.com/” target=”_blank” title=”duncan hines”]Duncan Hines[/url] German Chocolate Cake Mix
- 1 cup coconut
- 1 ½ cups chopped pecans
- 8-oz. cream cheese
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Grease and flour a 9×13” baking dish.
- Spread pecans and coconut in the bottom of the prepared dish.
- Mix cake mix according to package directions.
- Spread over top of pecans and coconut.
- Melt butter and cream cheese over low to medium heat in small saucepan.
- Remove from heat.
- Add powdered sugar and whisk to combine.
- Spread powdered sugar mixture over top of cake batter in baking dish.
- Smooth the top.
- Bake for 45 minutes or until cake tests done.
- Cool completely before cutting into squares.
- Store covered tightly.
- After 2 days, store in refrigerator.
Serve Earthquake Cake at your next Tailgating party or potluck and you won’t come home with a single piece!
I assure you, you will be scraping the baking dish trying to get every last bite of this scrumptious Earthquake Cake out of it. It’s that good.
Doesn’t Earthquake Cake look appetizing? It tastes as good as it looks.
You may also enjoy these delicious recipes!
Earthquake Cake
Equipment
- 1 9×13" glass baking dish
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 electric mixer
- 1 wooden spoon
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- 1 nut chopper if nuts are not previously chopped
- 1 small sauce pan
- 1 whisk
Ingredients
- 1 German Chocolate Cake Mix
- 1 cup coconut
- 1 1/2 cups pecans chopped (measure after chopping nuts)
- 8 oz. cream cheese
- 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
- 4 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Grease and flour a 9×13” baking dish.
- Spread pecans and coconut in the bottom of the prepared dish.
- Mix cake mix according to package directions.
- Spread over top of pecans and coconut.
- Melt butter and cream cheese over low to medium heat in small saucepan.
- Remove from heat.
- Add powdered sugar and whisk to combine.
- Spread powdered sugar mixture over top of cake batter in baking dish.
- Smooth the top.
- Bake for 45 minutes or until cake tests done.
- Cool completely before cutting into squares.
- Store covered tightly.
- After 2 days, store in refrigerator.