Description

This Reese’s Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Earthquake Cake is an indulgent dessert combining rich dark chocolate fudge cake with creamy peanut butter cream cheese frosting, studded with chocolate chips and miniature Reese’s peanut butter cups. Served warm with vanilla ice cream, it’s a chocolate-peanut butter lover’s dream with a gooey, textured finish that’s delightfully decadent.

Ingredients

Scale

Cake

1 box dark chocolate fudge cake mix
Ingredients required by cake mix (typically oil, eggs, and water)

Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 cups powdered sugar

Toppings

1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 cup miniature Reese’s peanut butter cups, halved

Serve With

Vanilla ice cream (optional)

Instructions

Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish thoroughly with cooking spray or butter to prevent sticking.
Prepare the Cake Batter: In a large mixing bowl, combine the dark chocolate fudge cake mix with the ingredients specified on the box (usually oil, eggs, and water). Whisk the mixture until the batter is smooth and well blended. Pour it evenly into the prepared baking dish.
Make the Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting: In a separate bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese, softened unsalted butter, creamy peanut butter, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar while continuing to beat until the frosting is thick and fluffy.
Assemble the Cake: Carefully spread the peanut butter cream cheese frosting evenly over the raw cake batter in the baking dish. Then sprinkle the chocolate chips and halved miniature Reese’s peanut butter cups evenly across the top, gently pressing them into the frosting to secure them in place.
Bake the Cake: Place the assembled cake in the preheated oven and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Take care not to overbake to maintain moistness.
Cool and Serve: Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack. Once cooled, slice into squares and serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream if desired for a decadent treat.

Notes

Using softened cream cheese and butter is key for a smooth frosting consistency.
Do not overbake the cake to keep it moist and gooey inside.
Miniature Reese’s peanut butter cups add bursts of peanut butter flavor and texture throughout the cake.
Serving with vanilla ice cream enhances the decadent dessert experience.
You can prepare the frosting while the cake batter is baking to save time.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: Reese's, chocolate peanut butter cup, earthquake cake, chocolate cake, peanut butter frosting, dessert, rich cake, creamy frosting, chocolate chips, peanut butter cups