Delicious Strawberry Earthquake Delight

Strawberry Earthquake Cake is a blast of sweet childhood pink cake with ribbons of creamy cheesecake goodness that melt right in as it bakes. We end up making this for almost every big get-together in our family and honestly it disappears fast. Each forkful is soft and a bit rich with tangy swirl mixed in for good measure. Eat it plain or spoon some ice cream on top for an extra sunny day treat.

Every birthday my kids vote for this one because it looks like a party and is like strawberry shortcake and cheesecake packed together. Those pretty swirls and colors never fail to wow folks at our table.

Luscious Ingredients

• Diced strawberries: throw in juicy diced berries for bursts of flavor go for the ripest ones you have
• Confectioners sugar: this one sweetens the creamy part and keeps it velvety smooth sift it if you don’t like lumps
• White chocolate chips: you want real cocoa butter kind so you get melty sweet pockets
• Vanilla ice cream: totally optional, but I say add it for the full summer dessert effect—bonus points for real vanilla beans
• Kosher salt: gives everything a flavor boost and sharpness, just a small pinch is enough
• Large eggs: let them sit out to warm up before using, that way the cake holds together and rises well
• Vegetable oil: keeps your cake nice and tender, even if you chill it
• Unsalted butter: melt it for extra richness—splurge on good butter for even more flavor
• Strawberry cake mix: for the fluffiest pink cake you just can’t beat boxed, grab a mix with real strawberry powder if you spot it
• Water: filtered water helps with texture and makes everything tender
• Vanilla extract: pure vanilla is worth it for that dreamy smell and warmth
• Cream cheese: use it soft for smooth mixing, tangy flavor makes everything better—full-fat for creaminess

Easy Instructions

Cool & Serve

Give the cake at least 30 minutes to get a little firmer so your creamy layers don’t run everywhere. Cut it up and dive in when it’s just a bit warm or totally cooled—top with strawberries or ice cream if you want.

Finish Swirl

Take a big spoonful and plop the cream cheese mixture all over your cake then use a knife and drag it through keeping some big gooey spots up top for that classic earthquake vibe.

Add Strawberries & White Chocolate

Soon as the cake comes out of the oven, toss on your diced strawberries and sprinkle those white chocolate chips. The heat helps them settle into the top just right.

Make Cream Cheese Mix

As the cake gets going in the oven, beat your super soft cream cheese with the melted butter so it’s fluffy then slowly add your sugar, vanilla, and pinch of salt. Mix till you don’t see lumps and it’s really smooth.

Start Baking

Pour the mixed batter into your greased pan, smooth it all out, and bake at 350 F for 30–35 minutes. You can poke it with a toothpick to check—look for a clean pick or a few sticky crumbs.

Final Bake

Pop it back in the oven for 15–20 minutes so the creamy top gets just set and the sides turn a little golden.

Prep the Pan

Make sure you grease up every inch of your 9 x 13 pan—including all four corners—so the cake pops out easily and holds together

Batter Time

Grab a big bowl and mix strawberry cake mix with your eggs, oil, and water. Whisk until it’s almost smooth, but don’t go wild so your cake stays soft.

Highlight

Can’t beat white chocolate chips—they turn into little pools of sweet creaminess that go perfectly with the creamy tangy mix. We almost always pile on extra strawberries before serving—it’s become our number one pick for summer birthdays at the park.

How To Store

Put foil over the whole pan or tuck slices into a sealed container then keep them in the fridge for up to four days. To freeze some, wrap single slices snug in plastic and stash in the freezer for two months max. Warm slices up in the microwave to make them taste fresh again.

Switch It Up

No strawberry cake mix? You can blend in some freeze-dried strawberry powder or even a scoop or two of jam to a vanilla or white cake mix to fake it. It’s okay to swap white chocolate for milk chocolate, but the flavor gets a bit stronger. For a lighter twist, Neufchâtel cheese stands in for the cream cheese just fine.

Serving Tips

Take things up a notch by scooping ice cream or a few fresh strawberry slices over each serving. Or you could drizzle on a bit of melted white chocolate or sift extra powdered sugar on top. It’s fantastic chilled for a refreshing summer slice or served just warm when it’s chilly out.

How This Cake Started

Earthquake-style cakes popped up in the Midwest, usually for church potlucks, by swirling cream cheese into cake batter for a super easy marbled look. The cream cheese is heavy, so it cracks through the cake and gives it that wild look—no tricks needed. Strawberry brings in a bright funky color that’s perfect for happy gatherings.

Recipe FAQs

→ Why does it look like an 'earthquake' happened?

As you bake it, cream cheese and cake mix together and break open the top. That swirling action makes all those cracks and marbly bits.

→ Should I grab frozen or go fresh on strawberries?

Either kind is fine! Fresh gives bigger flavor and firmer fruit, but frozen gets the job done too.

→ Do I need white chocolate or can I swap?

White chocolate chips bring sweetness and a little crunch, but tossing in dark or milk chocolate changes things up nicely.

→ What’s the best way to serve this?

Let it cool down completely, then spoon on more strawberries or pop a scoop of vanilla ice cream next to each slice.

→ How do I keep the leftovers fresh?

Just cover any extra and stick it in the fridge. It stays soft and tasty for about three days.