If you love spiced pumpkin cake, you need to try this Pumpkin Earthquake Cake recipe. The cake is perfectly moist and tender with swirls of sweetened cream cheese, pecans, and indulgent chocolate. The textures alone are wonderfully balanced, keeping you coming back for more.
Recipe Essentials
- 🍽️ Course: Dessert
- ⏱️ Cooking Time: 50 minutes
- 🍴 Servings: 12
- 🧄 Flavor Profile: Sweet, spiced, creamy, and gooey with a tangy cream cheese swirl.
- 🍚 Best Served With: Vanilla ice cream or hot coffee.
- 🧊 Make Ahead?: Yes, keeps 3-4 days refrigerated, reheat to serve.
Summarize and Save This Content On
I enjoy all sorts of pumpkin desserts, but the pumpkin spice earthquake cake has reached the top of my favorites list. This is a treat that I always recommend to anyone who loves pumpkin spice but isn't a huge fan of pumpkin pie. It has that lovely fall flavor in an irresistible cake!
If you adore pumpkin cake recipes, consider making air fryer pumpkin cake and pumpkin spice coffee cake.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It's endlessly customizable: There are so many possibilities when it comes to ingredients in this recipe. Feel free to get creative with the cake mix, chocolate chips, and more to make it your own.
- It's easy to make: Not only does the boxed cake mix cut out some steps, but the remaining recipe is so easy to follow. You don't have to be an experienced baker to make this dessert.
- There's no frosting needed: This pumpkin spice cake is so incredibly moist and rich, and the cream cheese swirl is so good that you don't even need to add frosting. I promise that you won't miss it!
Ingredients
These are the most important ingredients needed to make this pumpkin earthquake cake with spice cake mix. Most of it is found in the baking aisle at your local grocery store.
- Spice cake mix: The flavor of the spiced cake complements the pumpkin so well. You remember you will need the other ingredients (eggs, oil, etc) to make the vake batter, but don't use the box.
- Pumpkin: Ensure that you grab real pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie mix for the best flavor and texture possible.
- Pecans: The sprinkle of pecans on top adds a subtle crunch to the cake that takes it to the next level. I enjoy chopped pecans for this, but you can use a combination of chopped and halves if you prefer.
- Cream cheese: Full-fat cream cheese gives you the creamiest, richest result. Ensure it is softened before you use it so the mixture is smooth and free of lumps.
- Butter: Unsalted butter is best for balance in this recipe, but you can experiment with salted if you like. It will be melted and folded into the cream cheese, so there's no need to soften it first.
- Chocolate chips: I find that semi-sweet chocolate chips are the perfect balance between bitter and sweet for this recipe. However, milk or dark chocolate chips will work fine.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Yellow cake mix: Swap the spice cake mix for yellow cake mix if you don't enjoy the addition of spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. If you just don't have spiced cake mix, add pumpkin pie spice with the yellow cake!
- White chocolate chip: Try this pumpkin cake with white chocolate chips for a more indulgent version.
- Add apples: Fold diced fresh apples into the pumpkin cake batter for some tartness and texture that complements the other ingredients.
How to Make Pumpkin Earthquake Cake
Here are the instructions needed to make this pumpkin spice earthquake cake. Ensure that you start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F and lining your 9x13 baking dish with parchment or spraying it with cooking spray.
Step 1: Prepare the cake batter. Combine the cake mix and pumpkin with the eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and oil using an electric mixer until it's smooth. Then, fold in half the pecans.
Step 2: Spread it in the pan. Then, pour the batter into the greased baking dish and spread it evenly.
Step 3: Make the cream cheese mixture. Now, combine the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and remaining vanilla with the electric mixer until creamy.
Step 4: Swirl it with the cake mix. Next, drop spoonfuls across the pumpkin cake batter and gently swirl them to create a marble effect.
Step 5: Add pecans and chocolate chips. Sprinkle the chocolate chips and remaining pecans on top.
Step 6: Bake and serve. Stick the cake in the oven and bake it for 45-50 minutes or until the edges are set. Cool and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Cool the cake completely: Allow the earthquake cake to cool completely before you slice and serve it. This will prevent it from being too gooey or falling apart.
- Don't overmix the batter: To prevent the cake from collapsing in the middle as it bakes, don't overmix the cake batter. Only stir until the ingredients are just combined, and be gentle with the swirls.
- Use an electric mixer: Whether it's a hand or stand mixer, you will get a smoother result than using a whisk.
I highly recommend caramel pecan cake if you are looking for more delicious fall cake recipes.
Storage Directions
- Storing: You may store leftovers of this pumpkin cake tightly covered on the counter for 2 days or in the refrigerator for 5 days. Freeze it for up to 2 months!
- Reheating: If you like, you may take a portion of this cake and gently warm it in the microwave for about 10 seconds to make it nice and gooey.
Serving Suggestions
- Enjoy a scoop of some homemade pumpkin ice cream or banana ice cream right on top of your slice of earthquake cake.
- I love a warm beverage like cinnamon hot chocolate with my slice best!
- Serving it at a party? Pair it with a salted nut roll shot!
- Prepare an easy and comforting dinner like buffalo chicken chili and then indulge in some pumpkin cake for dessert.
Recipe FAQs
Overbaking the cake will make it very dry and crumbly. It's ready when the edges are set and the center is still slightly jiggly. It will set more as it cools.
The cream cheese swirls as it bakes resemble the cracks and crevasses left behind in the aftermath of an earthquake!
It's normal for it to be a little soft and gooey. You want to ensure that the cake is baked through, but the swirl will set as it cools.
More Delicious Pumpkin Recipes
Do you like pumpkin recipes? Here are some recipes you may also like to try.
If you try this recipe and love it please leave a star rating in the recipe card below or even better, drop a review in the comment section. I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to follow along with me on Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube for more easy recipes!
Pumpkin Earthquake Cake
Equipment
- 9x13 inch baking pan
- Electric mixer or whisk
- Parchment paper or nonstick spray
Ingredients
For the Pumpkin Cake
- 1 box spice cake mix
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup milk
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup chopped pecans
For the Cream Cheese Swirl
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- ½ cup 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For Topping
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ¼ cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease or line a 9x13-inch pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine the spice cake mix, pumpkin puree, oil, milk, eggs, vanilla, and cinnamon. Mix until smooth and creamy. Stir in the chopped pecans. Pour the pumpkin batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
- In another bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese, melted butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Drop large spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture over the pumpkin batter.
- Use a knife or spatula to gently swirl the mixtures together, creating a marbled effect-but don't overmix.
- Sprinkle chocolate chips and extra pecans evenly over the top.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the edges are set and the center is slightly gooey. The cake will appear cracked and uneven-that's the signature "earthquake" look!
- Cool completely before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Allow the cake to cool completely before you slice it to prevent the gooey parts from causing the cake to fall apart.
- It's normal for the cream cheese swirl to still be gooey after the cake is baked. As long as the cake batter is set, you're good!
- Be careful not to overmix the batter so the cake doesn't collapse as it bakes, but rather form cracks like those from an earthquake.
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