How many of you enjoy a good old-fashioned carrot cake? I know I do and it’s one of my favorite type’s of cakes to enjoy. When my daughter makes carrot cake, she makes her’s completely from scratch and it’s good. However, I’ve been using what I call a “cheater” recipe for the past few years and it’s just as good.
By using a boxed yellow cake mix…you’re cutting down on the number of ingredients that you need and you’re saving yourself some time. Often times my local grocery store will put your classic white and/or yellow cake mixes on sale for $1.00 a box and when then do, I stock up. You can “doctor up” those classics and turn them into some yummy desserts.
Anyway, here’s the recipe that I’ve been using. Once done, I like to frost mine with vanilla frosting, but my daughter likes topping her’s off with cream cheese.
Quick and Easy Carrot Cake Recipe
1 box classic yellow cake mix
4 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 cups carrots, finely grated
1 cup nuts, finely chopped (optional)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a large round cake pan or grease two 8″ round cake pans and make a double layer cake.
In a large mixing bowl combine together the cake mix, large eggs, vegetable oil, grated carrots, finely chopped nuts and the ground cinnamon. Beat with an electric mixer at low-speed until well combined. Pour the carrot cake batter into your prepared pan(s). Bake in your preheated oven for approximately 30-36 minutes or until the center of your cake(s) are done. Let them cool completely before frosting with your favorite frosting recipe.
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I like this recipe because it saves time yet still highlights the carrots. Too many carrot cakes turn into spice cakes and this one does not do that.
I am very interested to try this. Carrot cake is my granddaughters favorite and her choice for a birthday cake every year. I like the idea of making it easier but still using fresh carrots.
I love carrot cake. I have all the ingredients for this recipe on hand. Yippy. I can make it today! 🙂
Carrot cake is one of my favorites. Only trouble I have trouble keeping it to one piece. It disappears a sliver at a time.
Carrot Cake is a favorite in our house, but I rarely make it because it’s so much work. But hey, you’ve solved that problem for me!! And I wouldn’t be above popping a can of frosting to top it with, either. Thanks so much for sharing your “cheater” carrot cake recipe!
A friend of mine made a carrot cake log with cream cheese frosting and gave them away at christmas.
this sounds like her recipe
I am making it this way. I love carrot cake but no one in my family makes it. This sounds so easy, I am making it next week. Thank you for the recipe.
Nothing wrong with a bit if cheating I say! Oftentimes it is just the flour and a few ingredients. You add the best parts laer! I likea good mois carrot cake. I have had it both ways with frosting and with cream cheese, I have to adit the cream cheese for me wins, but then I eat anything with cream cheese. This looks good and moist you dont even need frosting.
I am not much of a baker so I like the shortcut of using the box cake. I would use a cream cheese frosting.
Oh what a delicious sounding carrot cake.My Sister, like your Daughter, makes her carrot cake from scratch. It is delicious. She also uses a cream cheese Frosting. Thats my husbands favorite cake. I have never attempted to make it, but he gets his share of my sisters cakes! Lol! Thank You for sharing your recipe. I pinned it and I will make this one for him. So much easier than from scratch!