Red Velvet Earthquake Cake

This post was created as in partnership with Imperial Sugar. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.

The irresistible cracks and crevices created in this Red Velvet Earthquake Cake are filled with ribbons of cream cheese filling, pecans, coconut, and chocolate chips, making this a sweet and easy sheet cake recipe with texture in every bite. This semi-homemade recipe starts with box cake mix and only requires 15 minutes of prep time. 

You don’t even have to frost an earthquake cake because of the cream cheese frosting that is baked right into the cake, almost like a swirl of ooey-gooey cheesecake, that creates the signature cratered and cracked look of an earthquake cake.

If you love all things red velvet, be sure to also check out our Red Velvet Whoopie Pies, Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies, and Red Velvet Cupcakes!

Why this Recipe Works

• No skill required! Not only is this an easy cake recipe that uses a boxed cake mix with homemade elements, but there is also no layering or decorating involved so it’s perfect for a beginner baker.
• Upping the chocolate factor. Red velvet isn’t really about the chocolate, but who doesn’t love a generous sprinkle of chocolate chips that melt right into the soft cake?
• You don’t even need frosting. The cream cheese swirl that bakes into the cake is essentially cream cheese frosting anyway, but without needed to fuss about spreading it onto a cooled cake.

Ingredient Notes

• Cake mix: Use your favorite brand of red velvet cake mix to simplify things, or make red velvet cake batter from scratch. If using a mix, you will also need the eggs, oil, and water as listed on the package instructions.
• Coconut: Shredded sweetened coconut adds a wonderful chewy texture and flavor to this type of cake.
• Cream cheese: Room temperature cream cheese mixes much more easily and makes for rich swirls throughout the cake. We recommend using full-fat cream cheese for best results.
• Chocolate chips: I like the combo of both semisweet and white chocolate chips, half of which are sprinkled on before baking. The other half are held in reserve for adding at the end after the cake comes out of the oven.

How to Make This Recipe

Start by making the cake mix according to the package instructions in a large mixing bowl. You can do it by hand with a whisk or using a mixer. Make the cream cheese filling in a separate bowl by beating softened cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Set aside.

Spray a 9×13-inch pan with baking spray, then sprinkle the coconut and pecans in an even layer, covering the bottom of the pan.

Pour the red velvet cake batter evenly over the coconut and pecans. Then dollop spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture all over the top of the cake. You can use a knife to swirl the batters together, or just leave it like this.

Sprinkle half of the semisweet chocolate chips over the cake batter and bake at 350°F for 40-45 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean with just a few crumbs on it. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the remaining chocolate chips, then cool before slicing and serving.

Recipe FAQ’s

Recipe Tips

• Don’t swirl too much: If you want to swirl the cream cheese mixture into the cake batter, that’s totally okay. Just don’t go overboard swirling it too much or you won’t have the same thick ribbons of cream cheese filling once the cake has baked.
• Wait to add white chocolate chips until the end. When you sprinkle white chocolate chips on top of the cake before baking they have a tendency to toast and not give the pretty, bright white results. It’s best to sprinkle them on at the end.
• Other flavors: You can easily swap out the red velvet cake mix for another favorite flavor for a different kind of earthquake cake.

More Cake Recipes

• Strawberries and Cream Sheet Cake
• Chocolate Texas Sheet Cake
• One-Bowl Chocolate Cake
• Sour Cream Coffee Cake