Go Back
–+ servings

Earthquake Cake

Please rate us
A dramatic cake with pockets of fudgy filling featuring chocolate, nuts, and sweetened condensed milk, perfect for potlucks or cozy baking.
Print it Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American, Baked Goods
Calories: 320
Ingredients Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

Cake Base
  • 1 box 15.25 oz yellow cake mix Or your favorite homemade equivalent
  • 4 large eggs Use room temperature for best results
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
  • 1 cup sour cream Or for a fall twist, 1 cup pumpkin puree + 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
Mix-ins
  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
  • 1 cup chopped pecans Toast briefly for more flavor
Fillings
  • 1 can 14 oz sweetened condensed milk Key for achieving fudgy pockets
Optional Toppings
  • 1 cup cream cheese frosting For topping
  • 1 cup powdered sugar glaze For topping

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan and line with parchment if you prefer easier removal.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, melted butter, sour cream (or pumpkin), and vanilla until smooth.
  3. Add the cake mix and stir until just combined. The batter will be thicker than traditional cake batter — that’s intentional.
Layering
  1. Spread about half the batter evenly in the prepared pan with a spatula. Don’t worry about perfection; an even base helps the layers settle.
  2. Evenly sprinkle chocolate chips, coconut, and chopped pecans over the base layer.
  3. Drop spoonfuls of the remaining batter over the top. This is what creates the 'earthquake' top.
  4. Drizzle the sweetened condensed milk evenly over the top so it can seep into crevices.
Baking
  1. Bake for 35–42 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the surface has visible cracks. A toothpick into the densest area may come out with a little moist crumb; that’s fine — you want some goo.
  2. Cool in the pan for 20–30 minutes. Spread cream cheese frosting or a simple glaze if using, then cool completely before cutting into squares so the pockets set.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 320kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 4gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 8gSodium: 230mgFiber: 2gSugar: 26g

Notes

For serving: Best warm from the oven with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or with lightly sweetened whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon. Store covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!