This take on an earthquake cake combines a Betty Crocker classic, Super Moist™ Cherry Chip Cake Mix, with a luscious cream cheese filling for a cake that's rich and bursting with that nostalgic cherry chip flavor. Fans of maraschino cherries will love this easy-to-make cake featuring maraschino cherry syrup in the cream cheese filling, giving it a lovely pink hue, as well as lots of chopped maraschinos throughout the cake. The resulting cake has a golden, cratered surface with pockets of sweet cream cheese filling and speckles of bright red cherries and white chocolate chips. For a seasonal spin, use pitted fresh cherries!
This cake is super easy to make and starts by mixing up a box of Cherry Chip Cake Mix as directed on the package instructions. Then you spread the batter into a greased 9x13 inch baking dish.
Softened cream cheese, melted butter, powdered sugar, and a little cherry syrup get mixed together and swirled into the cake batter in the pan.
Scatter the entire top of the cake with chopped cherries and white chocolate chips. These will bake into the batter, adding flavor and texture to the finished cake.
Bake your earthquake cake until the top is evenly golden and springs back to the touch.
Cool at least 30 minutes before serving.
Serve cherry chip earthquake cake warm with a cherry on top or a scoop of ice cream. You can also enjoy this cake at room temperature or cold!
Not a maraschino fan? Omit the maraschino syrup and substitute fresh (or frozen!) pitted and chopped cherries for the maraschino cherries for a fresh and seasonal take.
For chocolate-covered-cherry vibes, replace some or all the white chocolate chips with dark or milk chocolate chips.
Store leftover cherry chip earthquake cake in the refrigerator for 2-3 days in a covered container.
Double wrap portions of cooled cherry chip earthquake cake in plastic wrap and freeze for up to one month. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Reheat unwrapped portions of cake in the microwave for about 20 seconds. The cream cheese filling may get hot.
Heat oven to 350°F and spray a 9x13 inch baking pan with baking spray.
Mix the cake mix, eggs, water, and oil together to combine. Spread into the prepared 9x13 inch baking pan.
Beat the cream cheese until creamy, followed by the melted butter, powdered sugar, maraschino syrup, and salt. Beat until smooth.
Dollop the cream cheese mixture over the cherry chip batter. Swirl the cream cheese into the cake batter using a knife or wooden skewer.
Sprinkle the cherries, followed by the white chocolate chips, over the entire top of the cake.
Bake on the center rack of the oven for 35-40 minutes. The top will be golden and spring back to the touch (a toothpick inserted into the cake should not come out clean; if it does, it's likely overbaked).
