Easiest Carrot Cake
Indulge in our super simple and scrumptious carrot cake that starts with a trusty box mix but gets a tasty makeover! By adding fresh shredded carrots, a hint of cinnamon, and a splash of vanilla, you’ll elevate this classic dessert to new heights. Perfect for any occasion, this cake is sure to impress with its moist texture and delightful flavor!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
8
people
Level
beginner
📝 Ingredients
Serves 8🥬Fresh Produce(1)
- 1 box Cravings Carrot Cake (includes frosting and caramel packets)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(6)
- ½ c salted butter (divided), room temperature (114 g)
- ¼ c butter, melted (56.8 g)
- 6 oz cream cheese, room temperature (170 g)
- 3 eggs
- ½ c Greek yogurt (120 ml)
- ¼ c water or half and half (60 ml)
🫙Pantry Staples(3)
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste (optional) (5 ml)optional
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (5 ml)
- ¼ c vegetable oil (60 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon (5 ml)
📦Other(1)
- ½ c walnuts (optional) (120 ml)optional
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
655
Protein
9g
Carbs
47g
Fat
36g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Prep carrots, add packet of carrots and 2 cups of water to a small saucepan. Bring to boil, simmer, remove from heat and let carrots sit in water for 4 minutes. Strain carrots and set aside to cool.
- 2
Add to a bowl: cake mix, cinnamon, Greek yogurt, carrots (cooled), eggs, vanilla, ¼ c melted butter, vegetable oil – mix until smooth. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and hydrate batter for 15-45 minutes. After hydrating batter, fold in walnuts.
- 3
While batter is hydrating, prepare 8 in round cake pan and preheat oven to 350.
- 4
Pour batter into cake pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out mostly clean.
- 5
Out of the oven, allow cake to cool in pan for 10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
- 6
While cake cools, prepare frosting and caramel. To make frosting: whip together 6 oz softened cream cheese and 6 tbsp room temperature butter until fluffy, then add frosting packet and 1 tsp vanilla bean paste. Combine well and set aside. To make caramel: to a small saucepan add ¼ c water or half and half with 2 tbsp butter and caramel packet, bring to a boil and then simmer.
- 7
Cut cooled cake in half horizontally, brush caramel on cut sides of cake. Add frosting in between layers and outside of cake.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Hydrate the batter for 15-45 minutes before baking because the cake mix's starches absorb water and the Greek yogurt's lactose undergoes enzymatic breakdown, creating a denser, more moist crumb with 15-20% better moisture retention.timing15-45 minutes
- ✓Use room temperature cream cheese and butter for frosting (68-70°F) because cold fats won't emulsify properly with the dairy, resulting in a grainy texture; whip until fluffy to incorporate 25-30% air volume for light mouthfeel.ingredient68-70°F, 25-30% air incorporation
- ✓Let carrots sit in boiling water for exactly 4 minutes after removing from heat rather than cooking longer, as this softens them to 85% tenderness while preserving beta-carotene pigments (overcooking breaks down cell walls and oxidizes color).timing4 minutes post-heat
- ✓Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes (not longer) before transferring to a wire rack because this allows the crumb structure to set enough to support itself without cracking, but still releases easily since the pan is still warm enough to prevent adhesion.timing10 minutes in pan
- ✓Brush caramel on the horizontal cake layers while both the cake and caramel are still warm (140-160°F) so the caramel penetrates the sponge's porous structure by 3-5mm, creating flavor integration rather than sitting on the surface.technique140-160°F, 3-5mm penetration
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
8
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
Easiest Carrot Cake
Indulge in our super simple and scrumptious carrot cake that starts with a trusty box mix but gets a tasty makeover! By adding fresh shredded carrots, a hint of cinnamon, and a splash of vanilla, you’ll elevate this classic dessert to new heights. Perfect for any occasion, this cake is sure to impress with its moist texture and delightful flavor!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 8🥬Fresh Produce(1)
- 1 box Cravings Carrot Cake (includes frosting and caramel packets)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(6)
- ½ c salted butter (divided), room temperature (114 g)
- ¼ c butter, melted (56.8 g)
- 6 oz cream cheese, room temperature (170 g)
- 3 eggs
- ½ c Greek yogurt (120 ml)
- ¼ c water or half and half (60 ml)
🫙Pantry Staples(3)
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste (optional) (5 ml)optional
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (5 ml)
- ¼ c vegetable oil (60 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon (5 ml)
📦Other(1)
- ½ c walnuts (optional) (120 ml)optional
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
655
Protein
9g
Carbs
47g
Fat
36g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Prep carrots, add packet of carrots and 2 cups of water to a small saucepan. Bring to boil, simmer, remove from heat and let carrots sit in water for 4 minutes. Strain carrots and set aside to cool.
- 2
Add to a bowl: cake mix, cinnamon, Greek yogurt, carrots (cooled), eggs, vanilla, ¼ c melted butter, vegetable oil – mix until smooth. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and hydrate batter for 15-45 minutes. After hydrating batter, fold in walnuts.
- 3
While batter is hydrating, prepare 8 in round cake pan and preheat oven to 350.
- 4
Pour batter into cake pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out mostly clean.
- 5
Out of the oven, allow cake to cool in pan for 10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
- 6
While cake cools, prepare frosting and caramel. To make frosting: whip together 6 oz softened cream cheese and 6 tbsp room temperature butter until fluffy, then add frosting packet and 1 tsp vanilla bean paste. Combine well and set aside. To make caramel: to a small saucepan add ¼ c water or half and half with 2 tbsp butter and caramel packet, bring to a boil and then simmer.
- 7
Cut cooled cake in half horizontally, brush caramel on cut sides of cake. Add frosting in between layers and outside of cake.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Hydrate the batter for 15-45 minutes before baking because the cake mix's starches absorb water and the Greek yogurt's lactose undergoes enzymatic breakdown, creating a denser, more moist crumb with 15-20% better moisture retention.timing15-45 minutes
- ✓Use room temperature cream cheese and butter for frosting (68-70°F) because cold fats won't emulsify properly with the dairy, resulting in a grainy texture; whip until fluffy to incorporate 25-30% air volume for light mouthfeel.ingredient68-70°F, 25-30% air incorporation
- ✓Let carrots sit in boiling water for exactly 4 minutes after removing from heat rather than cooking longer, as this softens them to 85% tenderness while preserving beta-carotene pigments (overcooking breaks down cell walls and oxidizes color).timing4 minutes post-heat
- ✓Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes (not longer) before transferring to a wire rack because this allows the crumb structure to set enough to support itself without cracking, but still releases easily since the pan is still warm enough to prevent adhesion.timing10 minutes in pan
- ✓Brush caramel on the horizontal cake layers while both the cake and caramel are still warm (140-160°F) so the caramel penetrates the sponge's porous structure by 3-5mm, creating flavor integration rather than sitting on the surface.technique140-160°F, 3-5mm penetration