Description
This Strawberry Cheesecake Earthquake Cake is a delightful and visually stunning dessert featuring a moist strawberry cake layered with swirls of creamy cheesecake, white chocolate chips, and fresh strawberries. Baked to perfection, this cake delivers a luscious, tangy sweetness with every bite and can be topped with whipped cream and extra strawberries for an elegant finish. Its unique marbled appearance earned it the name ‘Earthquake Cake,’ making it a perfect choice for special occasions or whenever you crave a comforting, fruity dessert with a cheesecake twist.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Cake
- 1 box strawberry cake mix plus ingredients called for in package
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
Cheesecake Mixture
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup diced strawberries
Toppings (Optional)
- Whipped cream
- Fresh strawberries
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan and set it aside to ensure the cake doesn’t stick.
- Mix Cake Batter: Prepare the strawberry cake batter according to the package directions. This typically includes combining the cake mix with eggs, oil, and water as instructed. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
- Add White Chocolate Chips: Sprinkle 1 cup of white chocolate chips evenly over the cake batter to add bursts of creamy sweetness throughout the cake.
- Prepare Cheesecake Mixture: In a mixing bowl, combine the melted unsalted butter, cream cheese, and vanilla extract until smooth and well-mixed. Then add the powdered sugar and mix until fully incorporated to form a rich cheesecake filling. Fold in the diced strawberries carefully.
- Swirl Cheesecake Mixture into Cake Batter: Spoon dollops of the cheesecake mixture over the top of the cake batter. Use a knife to gently swirl the mixture into the batter, creating a marbled effect without fully mixing it in.
- Bake the Cake: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool completely in the pan.
- Serve and Garnish: Once cooled, cut the cake into 12 servings. Optionally, top each slice with whipped cream and fresh strawberries for an extra touch of flavor and decoration.
Notes
- You can customize the Earthquake Cake with various flavors by changing the cake mix and complementary fillings or toppings.
- If you prefer, you can skip swirling the cheesecake mixture and leave it in small dollops on top; it will sink into the cake during baking.
- The addition of white chocolate chips and fresh strawberries enhances flavor and texture but can be omitted if desired.
- The cake will have a marbled, slightly messy appearance when baked—this is characteristic and part of its charm, hence the name ‘Earthquake Cake.’
- For serving, whipped cream or ice cream makes excellent accompaniments to this rich dessert.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12 of cake)
- Calories: 360 kcal
- Sugar: 35 g
- Sodium: 280 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 44 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg
