Pumpkin Spice Earthquake Cake
Adapted by: The Best Cake Recipes
I think this is the fifth year I have made this Pumpkin Earthquake Cake for J’s birthday, and it’s always the biggest hit. So much so that I’ve also made it for Thanksgiving instead of a pumpkin pie and it was definitely very well-received. Your guests will be asking for the recipe!
Ingredients
Cake Batter:
- 1 box Betty Crocker Spice Cake Mix
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup pumpkin puree (canned)
- ¾ cup water
- ½ cup applesauce
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
Cream Cheese Filling:
- 8 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (melted)
- 3 cups powdered sugar
*see notes below
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×13 baking pan with non-stick spray.
- In a large bowl, mix together the cake mix, pumpkin, eggs, water, applesauce, sugar and pumpkin pie spice. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
- In another bowl, melt the butter and mix together with the room temperature cream cheese. Stir in the powdered sugar and mix until well combined.
- Place spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture all over the top of the cake mixture (there will be some of he cream cheese mixture leftover.) Using a knife, gently swirl through the cream cheese. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top and bake for 60-70 minutes (my oven takes closer to 70) or until center is set.
- Allow the cake to almost completely cool before cutting. If you cut before it cools, the cake will be very soft and won’t cut cleanly.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
*If your cream cheese is too cold, it won’t swirl properly, and you’ll just be dragging it through the cake mix. Make sure it’s room temperature, and you should be good-to-go.
*Every oven is different, but it should take around 60-70ish minutes to finish baking, and then I let it cool a bit on the stove and set up. Because the cream cheese melts into the batter, your toothpick won’t always come out clean, but that doesn’t mean the cake isn’t done. It’s also okay for the cake to sink in at certain places; it’s just the weight of the cream cheese.
Watch my tutorial here.
ENJOY!
This was so good! 5 out of 5 stars ✨
Why does it have to bake do long when the box cake mix only requires around 30 minutes?
I only baked as long as the cake box said and it was great. Other recipes I read had the much shorter time.
You have added ingredients, making it more dense equals more cooking time.
Looks Delicious, I’m going to make this for Thanksgiving Dessert!!!
Thank you so much ! 😊
The recipe does not mention oil in the ingredients lists.Could you please carify how much.Cannot wait to try this recipe.thank you
She switched apple sauce for oil.
It uses applesauce instead of oil!
She said in her video that she subs applesauce for the oil!
No oil. Applesauce instead.
She switched out the oil for applesauce.
Does anyone know how much pumpkin? I know it says a can of pumpkin but In Canada we have two sizes. Thanks
I believe it’s 15 oz/425 grams
Says 1 cup of pumpkin purée
1 cup
Her recipe says 1 cup of canned pumpkin.
This recipe is delicious. Everyone loved it!
Your instructions say to add oil but I don’t see oil listed under ingredients. How much oil is needed please. 🙂
Thank you!
Corona
Pretty sure she switched the oil for applesauce. Hope that helps!
You have oil in the instructions, but not in the ingredients. Also, you have applesauce and the ingredients but nothing in the instructions! Can you please send me the right recipe? Thank you.
How much oil if you use that instead of applesauce?
Pretty sure she switched the oil for applesauce. Hope that helps!
I had a lot more cream cheese frosting left over. Can I store that to use for another recipe?
For sure!
Delicious and super moist!
I only added 1 cup of powdered sugar to the cream cheese filling because I was worried it would be too stiff and not “swirl” if I added all 3 cups. Will the cake batter swirl through the cream cheese with the 3 cups of powdered sugar?
She switched out the oil for applesauce.
Is this gluten free?
Not unless you use a GF box mix!
This has been a hit! My hubby loves it and I making it for the third time tonight. Delicious!😋