Serves 12
55 min
Earthquake Cake
Recipe GLPR2c10b70b4e189d
A decadent chocolate dessert featuring a fudgy cake layer topped with a creamy butter-cream cheese mixture, accented with toasted coconut and pecans. Named for the way the toppings "settle" into cracks and crevices as the cake bakes, creating an earthquake-like texture. Moist, rich, and utterly satisfying.
Save recipes you love
Create a free Grocery List Plus account to save recipes, rate them, and add every ingredient to your grocery list in one tap.
Ingredients
8 oz. butter, melted
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
8 oz. cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 box chocolate cake mix (prepared according to package directions)
1 cup chopped pecans
1 pound powdered sugar
Directions
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
In a small bowl, combine the shredded coconut and chopped pecans, mixing until evenly distributed. Spread this mixture across the bottom of your prepared baking dish.
Prepare the chocolate cake mix according to the directions on the box. Pour the batter over the coconut-pecan layer in the baking dish.
In a medium bowl, beat together the melted butter, softened cream cheese, and powdered sugar until the mixture is well combined and relatively smooth.
Drop the butter-cream cheese mixture by rounded tablespoonful over the top of the cake batter, spacing the dollops evenly across the surface. Using a sharp knife, gently swirl and run the blade between the dollops to create streaks and cracks in the topping.
Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake portion comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. The topping may appear slightly sunken or cracked.
Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool in the baking dish on a wire rack until it reaches room temperature, about 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
