Gooey Strawberry Earthquake Cake (Printable)

Moist strawberry cake with cream cheese pockets and white chocolate swirls creates a delightfully gooey dessert experience.

# What You Need:

→ Cake Components

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:

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; beat until creamy and fluffy.
04 - Drop spoonfuls of cream cheese mixture randomly over cake batter. Sprinkle diced strawberries and white chocolate chips evenly over top. Add coconut if using.
05 - Use a butter knife to gently swirl cream cheese mixture through batter for marbled effect.
06 - Bake for 40-45 minutes until edges are set and center is slightly wobbly. Do not overbake.
07 - Cool in pan for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The cream cheese pockets stay irresistibly gooey even after baking, creating little surprises in every bite
  • Its practically impossible to mess up because the cracked and cratered look is part of its charm
02 -
  • Underbaking slightly is intentional here; if the center feels completely firm, you have gone too far and lost the gooey texture
  • The cake continues to set as it cools, so that wobble in the center means you have achieved the perfect consistency
03 -
  • A light dusting of powdered sugar before serving hides any imperfections and makes it look bakery finished
  • Use a butter knife sprayed with cooking spray when swirling to prevent the cream cheese from sticking to the blade

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