Why do we partially bake the chocolate cake before adding the cream cheese?

The partial 15-minute bake allows the chocolate cake base to begin setting so the cream cheese filling creates the most beautifully dramatic and most distinctly defined earthquake swirl pattern through the chocolate rather than simply sinking to the bottom. The partial set gives the filling something to earthquake through, producing the most spectacular and most dramatically chaotic swirled interior that defines an earthquake cake.

Can I use frozen strawberries in the cream cheese filling?

Yes. Frozen strawberries should be thawed and thoroughly drained or blotted dry before being folded into the cream cheese filling. Excess moisture from frozen strawberries can thin the cream cheese mixture excessively, making it too loose to create the most beautiful and most properly defined swirl layer. Thoroughly drained frozen strawberries produce results essentially identical to fresh.

Why is this called an earthquake cake?

Earthquake cakes are named for the most beautifully chaotic and most dramatically unpredictable swirled appearance of the finished cake's interior. Just as an earthquake creates dramatic and completely unexpected patterns in the landscape, the cream cheese filling creates the most beautifully chaotic and most dramatically beautiful pattern through the chocolate cake when sliced, producing a different and most unique cross-section in every single piece.

Strawberry Earthquake Cake Easy Chocolate Cream Cheese Recipe

Description

The most easy showstopper Strawberry Earthquake Cake made by greasing a 9×13-inch dish preheating oven to 350°F preparing box chocolate cake mix with water oil and eggs batter pouring half into dish and baking 15 minutes until edges set then beating 8 oz softened cream cheese with 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 1 tsp vanilla until smooth folding in 1 cup chopped fresh strawberries spooning cream cheese mixture over partial cake pouring remaining batter over top baking 20 to 25 more minutes until toothpick clean sprinkling chocolate chips last 5 minutes cooling 10 minutes and garnishing with fresh strawberries. A completely extraordinary chocolate cream cheese strawberry earthquake cake recipe.

Ingredients

Scale

1 box Chocolate Cake Mix plus water oil and eggs per box

8 oz Cream Cheese softened to room temperature

1/2 cup Powdered Sugar

1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract

1 cup Fresh Strawberries hulled and chopped

1 cup Semi-Sweet or Dark Chocolate Chips

1/2 cup Chopped Nuts optional

Additional Fresh Strawberries for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F 175°C. Grease 9×13-inch baking dish.

2. Prepare chocolate cake mix per box with water oil and eggs. Mix 2 to 3 minutes until combined.

3. Pour HALF batter into dish. Spread evenly.

4. Bake 15 minutes until edges set but center still undercooked.

5. Meanwhile beat softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Fold in chopped strawberries.

6. Remove cake from oven.

7. Spoon cream cheese mixture evenly over partially baked cake.

8. Pour remaining batter over cream cheese layer covering completely.

9. Bake 20 to 25 more minutes until toothpick comes out clean.

10. Sprinkle chocolate chips and optional nuts in last 5 minutes.

11. Cool in pan 10 minutes.

12. Garnish with additional fresh strawberries.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Category: Dessert, Cake, Showstopper
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice
Calories: 320
Sugar: 20g
Sodium: 250mg
Fat: 18g
Saturated Fat: 8g
Unsaturated Fat: 8g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 39g
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 4g
Cholesterol: 60mg

Keywords: strawberry earthquake cake, easy chocolate strawberry earthquake cake recipe cream cheese filling, best showstopper strawberry earthquake cake chocolate, dramatic cream cheese swirl cake