Rich & Gooey Pumpkin Earthquake Cake with Chocolate Chips

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Fall is in the air and that means one thing – pumpkin everything! This Pumpkin Earthquake Cake is the perfect way to celebrate the season. It’s loaded with pumpkin flavor, and chocolate chips add a delicious touch of sweetness. Whether you’re serving it at a party or packing it up for a snack, this cake is sure to please!

For more seasonal food, check out The Ultimate List of Autumn Recipes for the Fall Season! Right-click and open a new tab to read next.

Pumpkin Earthquake Cake

The full ingredients list and instructions are found in the printable recipe card at the end of this post. I highly recommend reading the blog post all the way through so that you don’t miss any tips or substitution suggestions, to ensure that you have all the ingredients and equipment required and understand the steps and timings involved.

This pumpkin earthquake cake is so easy to make and results in a super moist, rich, and gooey dessert that is always a huge hit with everyone who tries it!

A sweet cream cheese mixture is dolloped (technical term!) between layers of pumpkin spice cake batter, which when baked causes cracks to form on the surface – and that is how earthquake cakes got their name.

I know you’ll love this yummy pumpkin cake recipe just as much as we do!

We love cooking with pumpkins on The Purple Pumpkin Blog (I mean, obvious right?!) And I’ve got lots more great Pumpkin Recipes for you to try – right-click and open a new tab so that you can read them after this one.

The post is part of the Crafty October series on The Purple Pumpkin Blog and is filled with free printables, crafts, recipes, and more for Halloween! You can check out Crafty October from 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, and 2012 for tons of awesome Halloween ideas and inspiration!

Ingredients & Equipment Used In This Recipe

While most ingredients can be bought in grocery stores, for your convenience, any specialized or notable ingredients and equipment needed for this recipe have been linked to Amazon or other stores if available online. Staple ingredients such as oil, salt, sugar, etc., aren’t always included here as you’re likely to have those in your kitchen. The complete list of ALL ingredients with measurements is found on the recipe card.

• Dairy – Cream Cheese, Unsalted Butter
• Other – Eggs
• Box of White Cake Mix
• Canned Pumpkin Purée – NOT pumpkin pie filling
• White Sugar
• Pumpkin Pie Spice
• Powdered Sugar – also known as Icing Sugar or Confectioners Sugar
• Chocolate Chips – semi-sweet (US), plain (UK)

Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog use both cup measurements and/or weighted measurements. American cups and kitchen food scales are handy pieces of equipment to have in your kitchen as it means you’ll be able to make all of the different recipes on my blog. I try to give American, imperial, and metric measurements in my recipes. Please note, that you can mix cup measurements with weighted measurements, but never mix imperial (pounds, ounces, pints, etc.,) with metric (kilograms, grams, litres, etc.,).

More Recipes Using Canned Pumpkin

One of the hero ingredients in this dish is pumpkin purée, so here are some more recipes using the same:

• Spiced Pumpkin & Walnut Tea Loaf
• Pumpkin Pie Crème Brûlée
• Easy Pumpkin Cake with Frosting & Sprinkles

More Cake Recipes

Looking for more cakes to make? Check these recipes out next:

• Yellow Sheet Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
• Jewish Apple Cake Recipe – Dairy-Free for Rosh Hashanah
• A Classic White Cake Recipe Perfect For Afternoon Tea

Recipe Tips

• Because of the cream cheese filling, store the cake in the fridge if not served immediately.
• Storing Leftovers: Cool and transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for 2-3 days.
• Freezing: You can freeze this cake in individual portions or the cake as a whole. If freezing the whole cake, bake in a disposable aluminum cake pan to make freezing easier.
  • Cool completely before wrapping in two layers of plastic wrap and a layer of aluminum foil – this will help to prevent freezer burn and the transfer of freezer smells.
  • If freezing individual potions, once frozen transfer them into a large freezer-safe food bag or container.
  • Label with the name of the dish and the date so you can keep track of your food storage.
  • It will last for up to one month.
  • To defrost, place in the fridge overnight to thaw completely before serving.

How Do I Make A Pumpkin Earthquake Cake?

Check out the printable recipe card below with full ingredients and instructions. Any demonstration photos do not print out to save your ink.

Continue to Content

Pumpkin Earthquake Cake

Yield: 6-8

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

This Pumpkin Earthquake Cake is the perfect way to celebrate the fall season!

Print

Ingredients

• 1 box white cake mix
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup pumpkin purée
• ¾ cup water
• ½ cup canola oil
• ⅓ cup sugar
• 1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 (8oz/225g) cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3 cups powdered sugar (icing sugar)
• 1 cup chocolate chips (semi-sweet/plain)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C/Gas 4. Spray a 9"x13" baking dish with nonstick baking spray and set it aside.
2. Place the cake mix, pumpkin, eggs, water, canola oil, and pumpkin pie spice into a mixing bowl and beat until combined and smooth. Set it aside.
   
   
   
3. Place the cream cheese, butter, and powdered sugar into another bowl and beat until combined and smooth. Set it aside.
4. Pour half of the pumpkin cake batter into the baking dish.
   
   
   
5. Use half of the cream cheese mixture and scoop spoonfuls onto the batter. Use a knife or skewer to swirl it around.
   
   
   
6. Pour the remaining pumpkin cake batter on top, followed by the remaining cream cheese mixture, and swirl around.
7. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top.
8. Bake in the preheated oven for 50-60 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. (A few crumbs on the toothpick are fine!)
9. Allow the cake to cool completely before cutting and serving. Enjoy!
   
   

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Libby's 100% Pure Canned Pumpkin Purée
• 
  Cake Boss Dessert Plate Set, 4 Piece
• 
  Clear Glass Snack Plates 6-Inch
• 
  Reusable Lightweight Plates 8-Pack with Holder
• 
  Pyrex Basics 3 Quart Oblong Glass Baking Dish, Clear 9 x 13 inch (Set of 2)
• 
  Wilton Non-Stick 9 x 13-Inch Pan

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 606Total Fat: 36gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 21gCholesterol: 104mgSodium: 87mgCarbohydrates: 72gFiber: 2gSugar: 65gProtein: 5g

This site uses Nutritionix to provide estimated nutrition. Nutritional information is always approximate and will depend on the quality of ingredients used and serving sizes. If you need exact calories and macros, please do your own calculations.

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Make It A Special Dinner!

You’ve made the dessert, but what about the rest of the courses?

Here are additional recipes to create a menu for a dinner party or special meal:

• Appetizer: How to Make the Ultimate Warm Spinach Artichoke Dip
• Soup: Slow Cooker Pumpkin + Apple Soup
• Salad: Classic Caesar Salad with Homemade Dressing & Croutons
• Main Dish: Amazing Pecan Crusted Pork Chops with a Fresh Plum Sauce
• Side Dish: Comforting & Creamy Instant Pot Mashed Red Potatoes
• Beverage: Apple Cider Margarita

There are 500+ Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog for you to enjoy – please feel free to check them out too.

The post is part of the Crafty October series on The Purple Pumpkin Blog. Check out Crafty October from 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, and 2012 for awesome Halloween ideas and inspiration; including recipes, printables, crafts, and more!

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