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Welcome, Princess Pinky Girl readers! Be prepared for this Earthquake Cake to become your new favorite cake and frosting EVER. Scroll all the way down to see my FB live video where I show you just how to put it all together and see photos submitted by readers who made their own Earthquake Cake after seeing the video. 🙂
This family favorite wasn’t always called Earthquake Cake. It used to have some fancy name from a cookbook like Black Forest Torte or something like that. But our family lovingly refers to it as Earthquake Cake. This may have something to do with the large fault lines, cracks, and eventual crumbling that occurs when it’s left for too long. That, and we live in southern California, where earthquakes are a part of life. 🙂
The cherry pie filling that makes this cake so yummy is also one of the reasons it tends to crack apart and slide down the sides of the cake plate. But if it doesn’t, we consider it a failure. Our family makes this as “the” birthday cake-with the complete expectation of watching it crack apart. However, for the sake of getting some pretty pictures today, I eliminated the frosting between the cake layers so things wouldn’t slide around as much. 🙂
The frosting. Oh, the frosting. I could sing love ballads about this frosting. I can eat it by the spoonful. It’s so creamy and smooth. You CANNOT make Earthquake Cake without using this frosting. It is strictly forbidden! So, I guess I should tell you how to make it now. 🙂
Earthquake Cake
From Our Best Recipes, Calvary Baptist Church
- 1 chocolate cake (use your favorite cake recipe, or a boxed cake mix- the darker the better)
- 1 can cherry pie filling
- Frosting:
- 1 3.4oz box vanilla pudding mix
- 1 cup milk
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 8 oz. Cool Whip
- Bake cake according to directions in two 9″ round pans. Let cool completely.
- To make frosting, combine pudding, powdered sugar and mix and beat on low for one minute. Let sit for just a few minutes to thicken. Fold in Cool Whip and be ready to frost cake immediately.
- Place one cake layer on cake plate and frost. Top with 1/3 can of cherry pie filling. Add second layer to cake, frost completely. Cover with remaining pie filling.
- Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Be prepared- it may not all be in one place when you are ready to eat. 🙂 If you’d rather keep things where they “belong” you can eliminate the frosting in the center and just use the pie filling. Not as yummy, but definitely neater!
Found some old birthday photos and I couldn’t resist sharing. See the cake? 🙂
Have you seen the other recipes in the Church Cookbook Series yet? There’s Sour Cream Enchiladas, White Corn Salad, and Orange Chicken with more to come soon!
Check out this Facebook live video sharing how to put this all together!
https://www.facebook.com/365IshDaysOfPinterest/videos/vb.312622575530642/849107645215463/?type=2&theater
Two different readers sent me photos of their own Earthquake Cakes!
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- Bacon Onion Dip - September 13, 2024
Kimberly @ A time to freeze says
Oh wow–I think my mom would pass out if I made this for her. She LOVES chocolate and cherries together. The frosting looks amazing, too. Do you think it can be made chocolate by using chocolate pudding mix? I don’t see why not but I’m not a huge baker so I don’t know. Thanks for sharing! Pinning!
Nicole Burkholder says
I don’t see why not. I would just use the darkest, richest chocolate pudding mix I could find, because it will really lighten up when you add the cool whip.
Tash says
I made this for my birthday this week. It was fantastic. First words out of my husband’s mouth: why haven’t you made that frosting before! I can’t get over how simple and good it was. Thanks for the recipe.
Nicole Burkholder says
You’re so welcome! I’m so glad you tried it for your birthday 🙂 And the frosting is the best part, by far! I could eat it with a spoon! Did you put the frosting and cherries between the layers? Did it “earthquake” or stay together? 🙂
Tash says
I mixed the frosting with some filling rather than keep them as two separate layers. The cake slid a little bit but didn’t earthquake apart and I think that’s why. Either way, it was darn tasty. 🙂
Nicole Burkholder says
Awesome! My birthday is this month and I’m looking forward to another slice 🙂
Monica says
I love how its a family tradition!
Featuring at Family Fun Friday!
http://happyandblessedhome.com/category/family-fun/
Monica
Nicole Burkholder says
Thank you! I figured it fit in well with your link party 🙂
Lori Who Needs A Cape? says
This looks fabulous and I wish I had some right now LOL! Found your link on Marvelous Mondays!
Inviting you to stop over and link at our SUPER SUNDAY Link Party, our readers would also enjoy this!
Lori
Who Needs A Cape?
Not Your Average Super Moms!
Emily says
This looks yummy. I really like the frosting recipe idea– I’ve never tried using pudding and cool whip. Can’t wait to give it a try– Pinned! 🙂
Nicole Burkholder says
Oh! You MUST go to the store right now and get some! You’ll never go back to buttercream! 🙂
LydiaF says
Holy moly! I know that’s delicious! I’m pretty sure my mother made a similar frosting but with this powdered stuff called Dream Whip instead of Cool Whip.
Alexis AKA MOM says
What a GREAT cake and I love the photos to see the tradition through the years :). Stopping by from Family Fun Friday
Nicole Burkholder says
Thanks for visiting! I tossed those old photos together on a whim- I was going through my photo album looking for a specific one, when I realized I had a bunch of pictures with the same cake year after year 🙂 Proof for the skeptics 🙂
Melanie (Reasons to Skip The Housework) says
I LOVE that you have pics of this tradition over the years! We’d love for you to come over to our newest link party over at The Inspiration Network: DELISH- a desserts only link party. Bring your desserts and let’s party!!
Smiles,
Melanie and Diana
The Inspiration Network
Britney @ The Princess & Her Cowboys says
Thanks so much for linking up to our On Display Monday Party! I am featuring this on Facebook and Google+ today! Hope you have a good one!
Nicole Burkholder says
Thank you! Your party always has the neatest DIY things linked up!
Paula @Call Me PMc says
Just beautiful and that icing! love it, pinned and I pinned your other post to, forgot to tell you on it.
Nicole Burkholder says
Thank you! I always look forward to Marvelous Mondays 🙂