Strawberry Earthquake Cake (Printable Version)

Swirled strawberries, cream cheese, and white chocolate create a stunning marbled dessert that's as delicious as it is beautiful.

# What You 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)

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously grease a 9x13-inch baking pan with cooking spray or butter.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine strawberry cake mix, eggs, vegetable oil, and water. Beat with electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes until smooth and well incorporated. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan.
03 - In a separate bowl, beat softened cream cheese and butter together until creamy and smooth. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract, continue mixing until fluffy and no lumps remain.
04 - Drop spoonfuls of cream cheese mixture randomly over the cake batter, leaving spaces between dollops.
05 - Scatter chopped strawberries and white chocolate chips over the entire surface. Sprinkle shredded coconut evenly on top if desired.
06 - Using a butter knife or skewer, gently swirl through the layers in a figure-8 or zigzag pattern to marble the cream cheese, batter, and toppings. Avoid overmixing to preserve distinct swirls.
07 - Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until edges are lightly golden and center is just set. A toothpick inserted should come out with moist crumbs but not wet batter.
08 - Allow cake to cool completely in the pan, approximately 1 to 2 hours. Slice into 12 squares and serve at room temperature or chilled.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The combination of tart strawberries, rich cream cheese, and sweet white chocolate creates layers of flavor that make every bite interesting
  • It looks impressively complex but comes together with minimal effort, perfect for when you want to wow guests without spending all day in the kitchen
  • The earthquake effect means no two slices are exactly alike, making it a conversation starter at any gathering
02 -
  • The center will still look slightly jiggly when you take it out of the oven, but it continues cooking as it cools
  • Over swirling will blend everything into a uniform color, so just a few gentle passes with your knife are enough
  • Room temperature cream cheese is nonnegotiable, because cold cream cheese creates lumpy filling that will not swirl properly
03 -
  • Room temperature ingredients make all the difference in how smoothly the cream cheese filling blends
  • If your knife starts dragging while swirling, run it under hot water and dry it off before continuing

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