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Strawberry Earthquake Cake Recipe

4.7 from 138 reviews

Strawberry Earthquake Cake is a delightful and moist strawberry-flavored cake enhanced with fresh strawberries and topped with a creamy, tangy cream cheese layer. Perfectly baked to create a beautiful contrast of textures and flavors, this dessert is sure to impress at any gathering or as a sweet treat for yourself.

Ingredients

Scale

Cake Ingredients

  • 1 box (450 g) strawberry cake mix
  • 1 cup (150 g) fresh strawberries, sliced

Cream Cheese Topping

  • 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese
  • 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice
  • 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to ensure it’s ready for baking the cake evenly.
  2. Mix Cake Batter: In a large bowl, combine the strawberry cake mix, water, oil, and eggs, mixing until just combined to avoid overworking the batter for a tender crumb.
  3. Fold in Strawberries: Gently fold the sliced fresh strawberries into the batter to distribute them evenly without crushing.
  4. Prepare Baking Dish: Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish and pour the batter in, spreading it evenly across the dish for uniform cooking.
  5. Bake Cake: Bake the cake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, indicating it is fully cooked.
  6. Make Cream Cheese Mixture: While the cake bakes, blend cream cheese, granulated sugar, lemon juice, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
  7. Apply Topping: Remove the cake from the oven and evenly pour the cream cheese mixture over the top, spreading gently if necessary.
  8. Bake Again: Return the cake to the oven and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes until the edges of the cream cheese topping are golden and set.
  9. Cool Cake: Allow the cake to cool completely in the baking dish for about one hour to let it firm up properly.
  10. Chill Cake: Transfer the cooled cake to the refrigerator to chill, enhancing flavor and texture, or choose to serve at room temperature according to preference.
  11. Slice and Serve: Slice the cake ensuring each serving has a good portion of strawberries for maximum flavor.
  12. Garnish: Garnish with fresh mint leaves or additional strawberries to add a fresh, decorative touch before serving.

Notes

  • For best results, use fresh, ripe strawberries to maximize sweetness and flavor.
  • Ensure cream cheese is softened before mixing to avoid lumps in the topping.
  • Cooling the cake completely before chilling is essential to prevent condensation on the topping.
  • Garnishing with mint or additional strawberries enhances both presentation and flavor profile.
  • This cake can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, covered tightly.

Keywords: Strawberry cake, cream cheese topping, fresh strawberry dessert, easy strawberry dessert, baked strawberry cake