Ultimate Reese’s Peanut Butter Earthquake Cake
This decadent Reese’s Peanut Butter Earthquake Cake creates pure chocolate-peanut butter magic with every bite. Molten pockets of sweetened condensed milk create the signature ‘earthquake’ effect as the cake bakes, resulting in a gloriously gooey center that oozes from each slice.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 package chocolate cake mix
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup chopped Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and thoroughly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish, ensuring the corners get coated to prevent sticking.
- Combine the chocolate cake mix, water, vegetable oil, and eggs in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer for about 2 minutes until smooth.
- Gently fold in the chopped Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and chocolate chips with a spatula until evenly dispersed throughout the batter.
- Pour half of the batter into your prepared baking dish, spreading it to the corners, then drizzle the sweetened condensed milk evenly over this layer.
- Carefully pour the remaining cake batter on top and smooth the surface with a spatula.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes until the edges are set but the center remains slightly jiggly.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for exactly 10 minutes.
- Dust the warm cake with powdered sugar using a fine-mesh sieve, cut into squares, and serve immediately.
Notes
- Perfect pan preparation: Use cooking spray with flour or butter and cocoa powder to thoroughly coat your baking dish.
- Sweetened condensed milk technique: Pour the milk in a spiral pattern for more even distribution.
- Temperature matters: Allow your eggs to reach room temperature before mixing.
- Strategic candy placement: Reserve about ¼ cup of chopped Reese’s cups for concentrated pockets of peanut butter goodness.
- The doneness test: Look for a 2-inch perimeter of set cake around the edges while the center remains jiggly.