Earthquake Cake

1 box Devil’s Food Cake Mix (I used Pillsbury)
3 Eggs
1 1/4 cups Water
1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
1 cup Coconut
1 cup Pecans, chopped
1/2 cup (1 stick) Butter or Margarine, softened
8 oz. Cream Cheese, softened
4 cups Powdered Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla
1/2 to 1 cup Chocolate Chips

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9×13 inch cake pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Sprinkle coconut, then pecans, evenly over the bottom of the cake pan and set aside.

Mix together the cake mix, eggs, water and oil in a mixing bowl. Beat for about 2 minutes with electric mixer. Pour over coconut and pecans in pan.

In small mixing bowl, beat together the butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Spoon the cream cheese mixture over the cake batter. Don’t try to spread it out; just put it on in dollops.

Bake cake for about 45 to 50 minutes. Test for doneness by inserting a knife or toothpick into the chocolate cake. The toothpick should come out clean.

When done, remove cake from oven and immediately sprinkle on the chocolate chips. Allow cake to cool in the pan.

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Okay, now for my story….

This was a new recipe I had found on the internet, so didn’t know exactly what to expect. I changed the ingredients very slightly . . . the original recipe called for a German Cake Mix, but I used Devil’s Food Cake Mix (because that’s my favorite). I also added the chocolate chips.

I also attempted to spread out the cream cheese mixture on top of the cake, and that was probably my downfall. A few minutes in the oven, and the cake started to raise up. All of a sudden, my daughter exclaimed that the cake was boiling over! I immediately got a sheet of aluminum foil and placed it on the rack beneath the cake to catch the overflow. I looked at my daughter and explained that we had a volcano cake instead of an earthquake!

It was mostly the white part that spilled over, and actually, that part that cooked on the side of the pan was Awesome! Just after removing the cake from the oven when it was done, I scraped off the part that flowed over the edge, and tasted it . . . it was just like chewey, ooey, gooey, warm caramel! Oh yum!

I sprinkled the chocolate chips on the top of the cake and allowed the cake to cool in the pan. It cut very nicely, and there was that coconut/pecan layer on the bottom part. The chocolate part of the cake was so moist, yet held up very well.

When I saw the cake spill over, my first thought was that I would never make this again. But after watching my family devour it, I’ve decided this just might be a tradition recipe. My husband said it was the best cake he had ever eaten.

I really think the secret to keeping it from spilling over is that you have to drop the cream cheese mixture in dollops randomly on top, and not attempt to spread it out. Let me know how it works for you.

Now, I’d better get started on cleaning the oven. Thank goodness for self-cleaning ovens!

1 Chocolate Pudding Mix (Small Box)
1 1/2 cups Milk
1 Chocolate Cake Mix (I used Devil’s Food Cake Mix)
1 1/2 cups Chocolate Chips (I used Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9×13 cake pan with no-stick spray.

Combine chocolate pudding mix and milk in a mixing bowl. Using a mixer, beat until smooth. Add dry cake mix, and beat until well-combined. This mixture will be very thick.

Pour into prepared cake pan, and spread evenly. Scatter the chocolate chips over the top. Bake in 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes.  Cool (if you can wait that long) and cut into squares.

More pictures:

Soften cream cheese and blend in the brown sugar and vanilla until creamy. You can use a fork to blend the ingredients, but using a mixer will help to prevent lumps in your dip.

Serve with apple slices. Other fruit slices, such as pears, also work well with this dip.

Using mixer, cream together the cream cheese and butter.* Add vanilla and powdered sugar and continue beating with mixer until smooth and creamy.

*If your cream cheese and/or butter is cold, you can put it in the microwave for a few seconds (start with 15 seconds) until it is warmed up enough to blend well.

Cut rolls into 1/2 inch cubes. Place cubes in a sprayed 8-inch square baking pan.

In a bowl, combine eggs, milk, sugar, almond extract and 1 cup peach pie filling. Mix well. Pour over roll cubes. Press down with a spoon to make sure all of the roll cubes are covered with egg mixture; let soak for 30 minutes. Bake at 350°F 30-40 minutes.

Heat remaining pie filling and serve over warm pudding.

Stir together the flour, salt and oil until all the flour is moistened. Sprinkle with cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, stiring until all water is absorbed.

Gather the pastry into a ball. Press in the bottom and up the side of a 9″ glass pie plate; flute around the edges.

Fill and bake as directed in your recipe.

For crusts that need to be baked before filling: Heat oven to 475 degrees. Prick the bottom and side of the pastry thoroughly with a fork. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until light brown. Cool completely – about 30 minutes. Fill as directed in your recipe.

Put shortening in cast iron skillet in 400 degree oven. Mix dry ingredients and honey. Mix in buttermilk and egg. Pour heated shortening into the batter and stir.

Pour batter into heated pan and bake in 400 degree oven for 25 to 35 minutes.

In a large bowl, cream butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the oil, egg and vanilla. Add salt and gradually add the flour to creamed mixture and mix well. Beat in poppy seeds and lemon peel.

Shape dough into 1 inch balls and place 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Using a wooden spoon handle, make an indentation in the center of each ball. Spoon 1/4 tsp. preserves into each cookie.

Bake at 324 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned. Move to wire racks to cool. Makes about 5 dozen.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare two loaf pans by spraying them with non-stick cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 cup of the flour, the sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add mashed bananas, margaine or butter, and milk. Beat with an electric mixer on low setting until blended, then beat on high for 2 minutes. Add eggs and remaining 1 cup of flour, and beat until well blended. Stir in the walnuts.

Pour equal amounts of batter into the two loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted near the center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool on wire racks.

To make these up to one month ahead, simply bake the loaves and cool completely. Place each loaf in a freezer bag and freeze up to one month. Thaw for 1 hour at room temperature before slicing.

In a large skillet, cook the beef until meet is no longer pink. Add chopped onions and sweet peppers and cook until tender. Drain. Stir in soup, salsa, ripe olives, chilies, oregano and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep from sticking.

Pour into serving dish and top with shredded cheese, sour cream, green onions and peppers, as desired.

Serve warm with tortilla chips.