Cake mix carrot cake is a soft, moist, warmly spiced two-layer cake full of freshly grated carrots and covered in tangy cream cheese frosting. It starts with a box, so it is the shortcut cake for Easter, spring birthdays and any week when you want carrot cake without measuring out a spice rack.
How to make cake mix carrot cake: Mix a box of spice cake mix with oil, eggs, milk, sour cream and vanilla for about 2 minutes, skipping the directions on the box. Fold in 1 cup of freshly grated carrots, divide between two 8-inch pans and bake at 350°F for 30–40 minutes. Cool completely and frost with cream cheese frosting.
Why You’ll Love It
- A box does the measuring. The flour, sugar, leavening and spices are already in the mix.
- Real carrots. A full cup of freshly grated carrots goes into the batter.
- Extra moisture. Milk, oil and sour cream take the place of the plain water on the box.
- Two layers. It looks like a bakery cake and cuts into 10 slices.
Ingredient Notes
Spice cake mix. One 13.25-ounce box. Use the dry mix only. Do not add the ingredients listed on the box or follow its directions.
Vegetable oil. A 1/2 cup. Canola oil works too.
Eggs. Three large eggs.
Milk. One cup, in place of water.
Sour cream. A 1/3 cup.
Vanilla extract. One teaspoon.
Carrots. One cup, freshly grated. Grate them yourself. The shreds sold in bags are thicker and drier.
Cream cheese frosting. Homemade or store-bought. The recipe does not give an amount, so have enough to fill and cover two 8-inch layers.
Ingredients
- 1 box spice cake mix (13.25 ounces), dry mix only
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 3 eggs, large
- 1 cup milk
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup carrots, freshly grated
- Cream cheese frosting, homemade or store-bought
How to Make Cake Mix Carrot Cake
1. Prepare the pans. Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans and line their bottoms with parchment.
2. Mix the batter. Put the spice cake mix, oil, eggs, milk, sour cream and vanilla in a large bowl. Mix until combined, then keep mixing for about 2 minutes, stopping once to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Do not prepare the mix according to its package directions.
3. Add the carrots. Fold in the freshly grated carrots. Divide the batter evenly between the pans.
4. Bake. Bake for approximately 30–40 minutes, beginning to check at 30 minutes. The centers should spring back lightly, the edges should begin to pull slightly from the pans, and a toothpick inserted in the center should show no wet batter and only a few moist crumbs.
5. Cool and frost. Cool in the pans for about 10 minutes, then transfer the layers to cooling racks. Let them cool completely before frosting with cream cheese frosting.
How to Turn Boxed Cake Mix Into Carrot Cake
Start with a spice cake mix, and ignore the back of the box. That is the whole trick. The dry mix brings the cinnamon-and-spice flavor, and this recipe supplies its own wet ingredients and the carrots.
| The box says | This recipe uses |
|---|---|
| The box’s own list of wet ingredients | 1/2 cup oil, 3 large eggs, 1 cup milk, 1/3 cup sour cream and 1 teaspoon vanilla |
| No carrots | 1 cup freshly grated carrots, folded in at the end |
| The box’s pan sizes and times | Two 8-inch round pans, 350°F, 30–40 minutes |
A box labeled carrot cake mix is a different product. It has its own directions and its own carrot-flavored pieces, and this recipe was not written for it. If that is the box you have, follow its package, not this page.
A yellow cake mix also works as the starting point, though spice cake mix is the first choice here because the spices are already in it.
Tips for Success
Why grate the carrots myself?
Packaged shreds are thicker and drier than carrots you grate fresh. A box grater does the job in a couple of minutes.
How do I know the cake is done?
Look for three things: the centers spring back when touched lightly, the edges start to pull away from the pans, and a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs and no wet batter.
How long should I mix the batter?
About 2 minutes after it comes together. Stop once to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.
When can I frost it?
Only when the layers are completely cool. They sit in the pans for about 10 minutes, then finish cooling on racks. Warm cake melts cream cheese frosting.
How Long Does It Take?
About 65 minutes in all: 20 minutes to get the batter in the pans, about 35 minutes in the oven and 10 minutes in the pans afterward. That does not include the time the layers need to cool completely before frosting, which the recipe does not put a number on.
Variations
Fold any of these in with the carrots:
- Pineapple. 1 cup crushed pineapple, very well drained.
- Nuts. 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts.
- Raisins. 3/4 cup.
- Coconut. 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut.
Water can also be used in place of the milk.
Storage & Reheating
This cake is not reheated. Once it has cream cheese frosting on it, it belongs in the refrigerator, in a covered container. USDA FSIS recommends refrigerating perishable leftovers within 2 hours and using them within 3 to 4 days.
An unfrosted cake can be wrapped in plastic wrap and foil and frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator, not on the counter, then frost.
What to Serve With It
If carrot cake is your favorite, try carrot cake cookies or the carrot cake cheesecake. For more shortcut cakes, there are Easter cake mix cookie bars, the pecan pie dump cake and the 4-ingredient slow cooker caramel apple dump cake. For a fruit cake from scratch, bake the lemon blueberry cake.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I turn boxed cake mix into carrot cake?
Use a spice cake mix, skip the box directions, and add oil, eggs, milk, sour cream, vanilla and 1 cup of freshly grated carrots.
What should I add to improve a carrot cake box mix?
This recipe is built on spice cake mix, not carrot cake mix. To the spice mix, add fresh carrots, and if you like, drained crushed pineapple, chopped nuts, raisins or coconut.
Can I use a boxed carrot cake mix?
A carrot cake mix is a different product with its own directions. This recipe is written for spice cake mix.
Can I freeze cake mix carrot cake?
Yes, unfrosted. Wrap it in plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 3 months.
Final Notes
I grate the carrots before I open the box, so they are ready to fold in the moment the batter is mixed. If you make it, leave a comment to tell me how it turned out or ask a question.
Cake Mix Carrot Cake
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Ingredients
- 1 box spice cake mix 13.25 ounces; do not use the ingredients or directions on the box
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil canola oil also works
- 3 eggs large
- 1 cup milk
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup carrots freshly grated
- cream cheese frosting homemade or store-bought
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans and line their bottoms with parchment.
- Put the spice cake mix, oil, eggs, milk, sour cream and vanilla in a large bowl. Mix until combined, then keep mixing for about 2 minutes, stopping once to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Do not prepare the mix according to its package directions.
- Fold in the freshly grated carrots. Divide the batter evenly between the pans.
- Bake for approximately 30–40 minutes, beginning to check at 30 minutes. The centers should spring back lightly, the edges should begin to pull slightly from the pans, and a toothpick inserted in the center should show no wet batter and only a few moist crumbs.
- Cool in the pans for about 10 minutes, then transfer the layers to cooling racks. Let them cool completely before frosting with cream cheese frosting.
