Gooey Strawberry Earthquake Cake (Printable Version)
Moist strawberry cake with creamy cheese filling, fresh berries, and white chocolate swirled into a gooey, marbled masterpiece.
# Ingredient List:
→ Cake Base
01 - 15.25 oz box 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)
# How to Make:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan thoroughly.
02 - Whisk together strawberry cake mix, eggs, vegetable oil, and water in a large bowl until just combined. Pour batter evenly into prepared pan.
03 - Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract; continue beating until mixture reaches creamy, fluffy consistency.
04 - Drop spoonfuls of cream cheese mixture randomly over the surface of the cake batter.
05 - Sprinkle diced strawberries and white chocolate chips evenly over the top. Add shredded coconut if using.
06 - Run a butter knife gently through the batter and cream cheese mixture to swirl together for marbled appearance.
07 - Bake for 40-45 minutes until edges are set but center remains slightly wobbly. The cake should be gooey inside, not overbaked.
08 - Allow cake to cool in pan for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The center stays wonderfully gooey even after cooling, creating this perfect contrast between crisp edges and molten strawberry pockets
- It uses a cake mix as a shortcut but tastes completely homemade thanks to the cream cheese swirls and fresh strawberries
02 -
- The center should remain slightly jiggly when you remove it from the oven because it continues cooking as it cools
- Overbaking will ruin the gooey texture, so trust your timer and check at 40 minutes
03 -
- Use gel food coloring to deepen the pink color of the batter if you want that vibrant strawberry look
- Freeze the white chocolate chips for 15 minutes before sprinkling so they hold their shape better while baking