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Pumpkin Earthquake Cake (Gluten Free)

pumpkinearthquakecakegfPumpkin Earthquake Cake with craters of cream cheese filling will become one of your favourite gluten-free pumpkin dessert recipes. If you've never had earthquake cake, you're in for a real treat. Usually earthquake cake is made with a German chocolate cake mix and is loaded with coconut, pecans and chocolate chips. Then a sweetened cream cheese mixture (basically cream cheese frosting) is dolloped on top and the whole thing is baked. What happens in the oven is why this cake is called "earthquake." As the cake bakes, the cream cheese bubbles up and down, creating craters and dips of gooeyness. When I first had a piece of earthquake cake, I was instantly hooked. I made it for my family and my mom said it was one of her favourite cakes ever.

Cake Batter:
2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour blend (280 g)
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. sea salt
1½ cups Monk Fruit Sweetener with Erythritol (Granular) (300 g)
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling) (425 g)
1½ tsp. pumpkin pie spice
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup Canola oil, or any neutral oil (240 mL)

Cream Cheese Mixture:
8 oz cream cheese, softened (226 g)
½ cup butter, melted (113 g)
3 cups Monk Fruit Sweetener with Erythritol (Powdered) (375 g)
½ cup butterscotch chips, or more to taste (85 g)

Make the Cream Cheese Mixture:
In a medium bowl, mix the cream cheese until smooth. Add the melted butter, followed slowly by the Monk Fruit Sweetener with Erythritol (Powdered). Beat until well combined and there are no lumps. Set aside.

Prepare the Cake Batter:
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C/160°C fan, Gas Mark 4). Grease a 9x13” baking dish and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour blend, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the canned pumpkin, sugar, eggs, oil and vanilla until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and whisk or stir to combine fully.

Pour the cake batter into the prepared baking dish. Dollop the cream cheese mixture all over the top of the cake and sprinkle the butterscotch chips on top.

Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake part comes out clean.

Serve warm or at room temperature. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Makes 16 servings.

Cook's Notes:

  • If you would like to make this with a gluten-free cake mix, add the eggs, oil, etc per the cake mix box instructions. Then add 1 (15 oz) can of pumpkin and 1½ tsp. of pumpkin pie spice and proceed as directed above with the cream cheese topping.
  • To make your own pumpkin spice, mix 3 Tbsp. ground cinnamon, 2 tsp. ground ginger, 1½ tsp. ground nutmeg, 1 tsp. ground cloves and 1 tsp. ground allspice.
  • There are many brands of butterscotch chips that are now gluten-free, such as Nestle, Hershey and Aldi brand.