Gooey Upside Down German Chocolate Cake!

Gooey Upside Down German Chocolate Cake, AKA earthquake cake, has a coconut pecan frosting on the bottom, and gooey butter filling on top – gooey perfection!

Gooey Upside Down German Chocolate Cake

Hold on to your seats, I’m about to blow your mind with this Gooey Upside Down German Chocolate Cake. This dessert is gooey, oh so moist, and super simple to throw together.

Not Your Average German Chocolate Cake

We’ve been making this twist on the traditional German Chocolate Cake for 20+ years. It’s a combination of a Gooey Butter cake and German chocolate cake….but upside down!

The coconut pecan frosting is on the bottom, with a gooey butter filling spooned over the top of the cake before it goes in the oven. As the cake bakes, it creates a filling. leaving a moist, gooey, and delicious dessert.

Earthquake Cake – A Twist on German Chocolate Cake!

I always just called it an upside down german chocolate cake because to me that’s basically what it was, and it made sense.

It wasn’t until recently I found out this cake had a different name too – Earthquake Cake. As soon as I heard this I had to look it up because there was no way I went all these years making this cake without knowing this different name.

Well, sure enough as soon as I took to google I realized I had been fooled this whole time! I can’t disagree with the name though. Each bite of this cake is like an earthquake of flavor, and I’m all about it.

traditional German Chocolate Cake recipe

An Easy Upside-Down German Chocolate Cake

This cake may not be pretty, but where it lacks in good looks, it more than makes it up in the yummy department! Trust me, no one will care what it looks like 😉

Gooey Upside Down German Chocolate Cake uses a box cake mix, so it couldn’t be easier to make! But you can certainly use your favorite German Chocolate Cake recipe if you prefer. Either way, it’s absolutely delicious.

How to Make An Earthquake Cake

All you do is sprinkle coconut and pecans on the bottom of a greased pan and pour the cake mix over top.  Then beat cream cheese, butter, and powdered sugar to spoon over top and put it in the oven and wait for the magic to happen!

My mom and sister-in-law request this cake for their birthday every year! It’s a great cake to take to potlucks, but be prepared to give out the recipe…..everyone will ask for it!

A German Chocolate Cake Everyone Loves!

My favorite part of blogging is getting to share my favorite recipes with all of you. What’s even better than that is seeing all the reactions, and how much you all love the recipes.

The reviews were so lovely on this recipe I thought I’d share some with you guys!

Featured Review:

“Made this tonight, just tried it still warm. Taste great!!!!!”

– Gerald W

Featured Review:

Oh my goodness is this cake ever delicious! It’s so simple to make and I always have these ingredients on hand. I have only had one piece so far but I already know it won’t be long before this whole pan is empty! SO GOOD. Thanks for this awesome recipe!”

~ Shelby N

Thanks so much for all the love!

Featured Review:

My husband loves German chocolate cake and he couldn’t stop talking about this one. Thanks!

—Steph

An Irresistible Upside Down German Chocolate Cake

If you know someone who likes German Chocolate Cake (and even those who don’t),  make them a Gooey Upside Down German Chocolate Cake and watch their eyes roll back as they scarf down a piece….or two!

You may never make a traditional German Chocolate Cake again.  You do know, everything tastes better upside down don’t you?

Need something different to take to the next potluck or any gathering? I can’t recommend this upside down cake enough!

If you like German Chocolate Cake as much as I do, you might want to try this German Chocolate Cake Martini, German Chocolate Brownies, German Chocolate Macaroons or how about German Chocolate Brownie Pie!

ENJOY!!

Like This Recipe?

I’d love to hear what you think! Leave a review below and let me know how you liked the recipe!

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Gooey Upside Down German Chocolate Cake

Yield: 12 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Additional Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

An easy delicious twist on the traditional German Chocolate Cake. Gooey Upside Down German Chocolate Cake has a coconut pecan frosting on the bottom, with a gooey butter filling on top. Creating a gooey delicious dessert everyone loves.

Ingredients

• 1 cup sweetened coconut flakes
• 1 cup pecans, chopped
• 1 box German Chocolate Cake mix, (*prepared
• using eggs, water, and oil as directed on cake mix package)
• 4 cups (or 1 pound box) powdered sugar
• 1 (8ounce) cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.  Grease and flour a deep 9×13 cake pan.
2. Sprinkle coconut and pecans over bottom of the cake pan.
3. Prepare cake mix per package instructions on box (or you can use your favorite German Chocolate Cake recipe)
4. Pour cake batter over coconut and pecans.
5. Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter in medium bowl until well blended, slowly add powdered sugar and continue beating until smooth and creamy.
6. Spoon cream cheese mixture over cake batter - do NOT mix in.
7. Bake on middle rack in oven for 45-50 minutes (or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
8. Cool completely in the pan before serving  To serve, cut into serving-size pieces and, using a spatula, remove from the pan and turn upside-down on plates and enjoy!

Notes

• there is no need to invert the whole cake before serving.  Leave the cake in the pan; cut into individual pieces and serve with coconut and pecans on bottom, or invert each piece as you plate it.
• store leftover cake on the counter or in refrigerator.
• TIP: Watch my video for making this recipe, it may help with questions others have had.
• I've never had this cake spill over while in the oven, but you can certainly place the cake pan on a baking sheet just in case.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 12
Serving Size: 1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 321
Total Fat: 14g
Saturated Fat: 4g
Trans Fat: 0g
Unsaturated Fat: 9g
Cholesterol: 23mg
Sodium: 373mg
Carbohydrates: 46g
Fiber: 2g
Sugar: 26g
Protein: 4g

Nutrition information is estimated based on the ingredients and cooking instructions as described in each recipe and is intended to be used for informational purposes only. Please note that nutrition details may vary based on methods of preparation, origin, and freshness of ingredients used.