Gooey Strawberry Earthquake Cake (Printable version)

Moist strawberry cake swirled with cream cheese filling and white chocolate chips for a decadent, gooey dessert experience.

# List of ingredients:

→ 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 - 1/2 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)

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan thoroughly with cooking spray or butter.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together the strawberry cake mix, eggs, vegetable oil, and water until just combined. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
03 - In a separate bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract; beat until creamy and fluffy.
04 - Drop spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture randomly over the cake batter. Sprinkle diced strawberries and white chocolate chips evenly over the top. Add shredded coconut if using.
05 - Use a butter knife to gently swirl the cream cheese mixture through the batter for a marbled effect, being careful not to overmix.
06 - Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the edges are set and the center is slightly wobbly. Do not overbake; the cake should remain gooey inside.
07 - Cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving. For best results, serve slightly warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The center stays deliciously gooey while edges bake up perfectly set
  • White chocolate and strawberries create an unexpectedly perfect pairing
  • Requires zero fancy techniques but tastes like a bakery masterpiece
02 -
  • The center will look underbaked when you remove it from the oven. This is exactly how it should be.
  • Room temperature ingredients blend together smoothly. Cold cream cheese creates lumpy filling.
  • Serve slightly warm for maximum gooeyness, but fully cooled for cleanest slices.
03 -
  • The wobble test is more reliable than a toothpick for this recipe
  • Use a light colored pan to prevent edges from overbaking before center sets

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