This decadent pumpkin earthquake cake is a perfect fall treat! Made with a moist white cake mix, canned pumpkin, and pumpkin spice, it’s packed with warm, cozy fall flavors.
Pumpkin, cream cheese, and butterscotch chips come together perfectly in this delicious Pumpkin Earthquake Cake. If you’re not familiar with Earthquake Cakes, they are a type of cake that features a delicious swirl of cream cheese frosting. Most Earthquake Cakes start with a cake mix, making them simple and easy to prepare. Don’t let the use of a cake mix deter you from making this Pumpkin Earthquake Cake. In fact, I tried making it from scratch and found that it actually tastes better when using a cake mix. The additional ingredients in the recipe help to mask the flavor of the cake mix, making it impossible to tell that you didn’t start from scratch. Give this Pumpkin Earthquake Cake a try and I promise you, you won’t be disappointed. Also, don’t forget to try the Red Velvet Earthquake Cake and theChocolate Fudge Earthquake Cake too! This Pumpkin Earthquake Cake is the perfect dessert for fall. The warm flavors of pumpkin and butterscotch are sure to please everyone. This cake is also relatively easy to make, so it’s a great option for a busy weeknight, or to whip up for a last minute party. Serve this cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a delicious and decadent treat.
Pumpkin Earthquake Cake
Ingredients
- 1 box of white cake mix you DO NOT need the ingredients on the box
- 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
- 1 15 oz can of pumpkin puree
- 1/2 C butter
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 2 C powdered sugar
- 1 C butterscotch chips
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees; grease a 9 x 13″ pan.
- Melt the butter in the microwave or on the stove top.
- Stir the melted butter, softened cream cheese, vanilla, and powdered sugar together until combined.
- Stir in the butterscotch chips; set aside.
- Mix the cake mix, pumpkin pie spice and pumpkin puree together.
- Pour into the prepared pan.
- Spoon dollops of the cream cheese mixture onto the batter.
- Take a butter knife and swirl the cream cheese mixture into the batter.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes. Allow to cool.
- Slice, serve and enjoy!
Look below for step by step directions with photos↓
FAQ’s
- Do I have to use a white cake mix? I like to use a white cake mix to really showcase the pumpkin flavor, however you can use a yellow cake mix or even a spice cake mix.
- Can I use different flavored chips? Of course! We think the butterscotch chips go very well with the pumpkin, but you can use whatever flavor you prefer.
- Can you explain an earthquake cake? The inside of the cake is super moist from the cream cheese mixture and the top gets crackly and caramelized. It tastes like a very moist spiced pumpkin cake and a cheesecake combined.
- How do you store this cake? To store, cover tightly and refrigerate for up to a week. For long-term storage, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 3 months. To defrost, transfer to the refrigerator overnight. Serve at room temperature for optimal flavor.
Step by step directions with photos:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees; grease a 9 x 13″ pan.
Melt the butter in the microwave or on the stove top.
Stir the melted butter, softened cream cheese, vanilla, and powdered sugar together until combined.
Stir in the butterscotch chips; set aside.
Mix the cake mix, pumpkin pie spice and pumpkin puree together.
Pour into the prepared pan.
Spoon dollops of the cream cheese mixture onto the batter.
Take a butter knife and swirl the cream cheese mixture into the batter.
Bake for 40-45 minutes. Allow to cool.
Slice, serve and enjoy!
Don’t forget to try this delicious Pumpkin Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting!
Snap a picture of your pumpkin earthquake cake and tag @flourmewithlove so I can share with my readers!
Just finished baking this and it is fabulous !!! Thanks for the recipe and Happy Thanksgiving!
Thank you Susie, I'm so happy you liked it 🙂 Happy Thanksgiving to you too!
I tried this with a gluten free spice cake mix and it did NOT work!
I feel like the cake mix needs to be mixed according to the package directions – or at least add the eggs and perhaps only use half the pumpkin. It did not rise AT ALL. It remained a gooey, undone pile of pumpkin puree. Even though I used a cake mix that is similar in ounces to a regular cake mix (and not less), the pumpkin was overwhelming, making it too heavy to rise at all.
I would be interested in trying this again but changing a few things.
I can't say because I don't bake with gluten-free products. Maybe the gluten is what makes this cake work 😉 Let me know if you try it again!
Wondering if I can use Betty Crocker Gluten Free Yellow Cake mix?
I never have, but I don't think it would be a problem if the gluten-free cake mix has the same baking consistency of a regular mix.
I love that I don't need to drag out my 30# stand-up mixer to make an amazing cake. In fact, I'll bet the grandkids would be thrilled to have me supervise the whole process while I just watch and wait. My entire family thanks you for posting this.
Thank you…there's nothing more special then making memories with the grandkids 🙂
This looks amazingly yummy! I'm going to put dark chocolate chips in mine though. It's surprising how yummy dark chocolate is with pumpkin and all the spices! Thanks for the recipe!!!
The addition of dark chocolate chips sounds delicious, and I agree they're a perfect match with pumpkin…enjoy!
Made this for a company luncheon. It was fabulous. My husband tried it and said "you can throw your pumpkin pie recipe away" . That's how good it was.
Thank you so much! That is so sweet of you and your husband 🙂