Cozy Strawberry Earthquake Cake Recipe Easy Homemade Cream Cheese Swirl Dessert
A moist and flavorful strawberry cake with a creamy tangy cream cheese swirl that creates a unique ‘earthquake’ effect in the crumb. Perfect for cozy gatherings or a comforting homemade treat.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45-50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (240 grams)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar (300 grams)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter (115 grams), softened
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ¾ cup whole milk (180 ml)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups fresh strawberries (about 225 grams), hulled and chopped
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 8 ounces cream cheese (225 grams), softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar (60 grams)
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prep the strawberries: In a medium bowl, toss the chopped strawberries with 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon cornstarch. Set aside for 15 minutes to macerate.
- Make the cake batter: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, beat softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Mix in milk and vanilla extract.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients: Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Gently fold in the macerated strawberries with their juices.
- Prepare the cream cheese swirl: Beat softened cream cheese with powdered sugar, egg, and vanilla extract until smooth (2-3 minutes).
- Assemble the cake: Pour half the strawberry batter into a greased 9×13 inch pan. Dollop half the cream cheese mixture on top and swirl gently with a knife or skewer. Pour remaining batter over and repeat with remaining cream cheese mixture, swirling again.
- Bake: Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with moist crumbs. If cream cheese starts to brown too much, tent with foil halfway through baking. Rotate pan halfway if edges bake faster.
- Cool: Let cake cool in pan on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing.
Notes
Do not skip macerating the strawberries to prevent soggy cake. Use room temperature ingredients for better texture. Swirl cream cheese gently to maintain marbled effect. Use fresh baking powder for good rise. Start checking cake at 40 minutes to avoid overbaking. Let cake cool before slicing to prevent cream cheese from oozing.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12th of c
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 28
- Fat: 14
- Carbohydrates: 42
- Protein: 5
Keywords: strawberry cake, cream cheese swirl, easy dessert, homemade cake, cozy dessert, earthquake cake, strawberry dessert