Chocolate Peanut Butter Earthquake Cake

Chocolate Peanut Butter Earthquake Cake is a decadent dessert that combines the rich flavors of chocolate and peanut butter in a moist, gooey cake that’s sure to satisfy any sweet tooth. This cake gets its name from the “earthquake” effect created by the cream cheese and peanut butter dollops that sink into the batter and bake up with a cracked, uneven surface, resembling seismic activity. Here’s how to make it:

INGREDIENTS:

For the Cake:

1 box chocolate cake mix (and the ingredients required to make it, usually water, eggs, and oil)

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

For the Peanut Butter Filling:

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups powdered sugar

For the Topping:

1/2 cup chopped peanuts (optional)

Additional chocolate chips or peanut butter chips (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Preparing the Cake:

Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to the temperature specified on the cake mix box. Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan and set aside.

Mix the Cake: Prepare the chocolate cake mix according to the package instructions. Once mixed, fold in 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan, spreading it out evenly.

Making the Peanut Butter Filling:

Combine Ingredients: In a medium bowl, beat together the creamy peanut butter, softened cream cheese, softened butter, and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.

Add Powdered Sugar: Gradually add in the powdered sugar, beating until the mixture is smooth and creamy.

Assembling the Cake:

Add Dollops of Filling: Drop spoonfuls of the peanut butter filling over the top of the cake batter. Don’t worry about being neat; the more random, the better the “earthquake” effect.

Create Marble Effect (Optional): If desired, you can gently swirl a knife through the batter and filling to create a marble effect. Be careful not to overmix; you want distinct areas of chocolate and peanut butter …