Earthquake Cake (Kopie)

*****

Brett and I took dinner to some friends that just had their first baby, and I made this Earthquake Cake for dessert. Typically you'd make this in a 9x13 inch cake pan but because most new mom's are trying to lose the baby weight, and because it's just the two of them plus the new babe, I thought an 8x8 inch square pan would be perfect!

So I made two of them. One for them, one for us. Okay, so maybe there were selfish reasons for making two

But I soon realized I should have just used a 9x13 inch pan and given all of this delicious cake to HER...for two reasons:

1) She looks amazing and has already lost any baby weight she gained. She could use a little cake!

and

2) The second I tried it I knew I was in trouble, and that our pan would be gone in less than a day. Not because my husband ate it. Not because my toddler ate it. Because I plopped myself on the couch with a fork and went to town on it.

It's definitely a keeper and one of those super easy desserts you can wow your friends with.

The cake is from a German Chocolate Cake mix and has a layer of gooey, coconut and chocolate chips on the bottom....

And cream cheese, butter, and powdered sugar all melted together and swirled in to the top...

Who wouldn't eat it all?

Earthquake Cake
recipe from Beth Burke, originally from Lori Birchall

Preheat oven to 350.
Grease a 9x13 inch pan.
Sprinkle in the bottom:
2/3 cup sweetened coconut
2/3 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Mix 1 box German Chocolate Cake Mix with:
1/3 cup oil
3 eggs
1 1/3 cup water

Pour cake batter on top of the coconut/chocolate chip layer in the pan.

In a saucepan, melt:
1/2 cup butter
8 oz cream cheese

Beat in 1 lb powdered sugar (3 3/4 cups) until smooth. Then spread on unbaked cake or drop by spoonfuls and swirl into batter with a knife.

Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes.

**It is done when it doesn't wobble in the pan if you shake it. The toothpick test doesn't work because it's a gooey yummy mess of a cake I think it's best served warm!