An easy and deliciously moist, doctor-the-box recipe for carrot cake! Perfectly paired with homemade cream cheese frosting!
We’re spending more time in the kitchen these days while we’re self-isolating at home. With fewer trips to the grocery store, I’m using what’s in the pantry (sometimes fun, sometimes not. :) I found a box of spice cake mix I had forgotten about purchased back in the fall that was fast approaching its ‘best if used by’ date. Eureka. . .I struck gold!
I’m a fan of ‘doctoring the box’ when it comes to a cake or cupcakes. The dry ingredients are measured and ready to go which cuts down on prep time. With just a few substitutions like buttermilk for water and an additional egg, your cake or cupcakes will taste homemade, especially topped with your favorite homemade frosting recipe!
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I made this cake as a treat to enjoy over Easter weekend. It was hubby-approved, who prefers pie over cake and declared it ‘moist and delicious’. . .quite an endorsement coming from a non-cake eater! I baked it in an 8 x 4 loaf pan. The batter will yield two 8 x 4-inch loaves so you’ll have one to enjoy and one to share or freeze. If you don’t have two loaf pans, you can make this recipe as a 9-inch two-layer cake or skip the layers and make a sheet cake using a 13 x 9 inch pan.
For easy removal, I like to line my pans with parchment paper. Spray your pan with nonstick spray and line your pan with parchment paper that hangs over the edge of your pan. The spray will keep your paper in place and from slipping so no batter gets underneath the paper. Parchment is nonstick and you can lift the cake out of the pan using the ends of the paper. Parchment paper also helps regulate the oven temperature and can neutralize hot spots as a barrier between the pan and your batter.
Carrot Cake from Spice Cake Mix
Makes: (2) 8 x 4-inch loaves, (1) 2 layer 9-inch cake or (1) 13 x 9-inch cake
1 box Spice Cake Mix (I used Duncan Hines Deliciously Moist Cake Mix)
4 large eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 can (8 oz) crushed pineapple in juice, drained, reserving juice
Reserved pineapple juice + water to equal 1 cup
2 cups finely grated / shredded carrots (preshredded carrots from the grocery store will be too dry and hard. For best results use a box grater or food processor, removing any large pieces)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chopped pecans + more for sprinkling on top of frosting if desired
Optional: Add 1/2 cup coconut and/or 1/2 cup chopped raisins to batter if desired (baking time may need to increase)
Cream cheese frosting, recipe to follow
Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare pan(s) by spraying baking spray with flour or by lining pans with parchment paper. Blend cake mix, water/pineapple juice mixture, vanilla, oil and eggs in large bowl with mixer at low speed until moistened, about 30 seconds. Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes.
Stir in carrots, pineapple and pecans until incorporated throughout batter. Pour batter into pans and bake immediately.
Baking times will vary depending on pans and oven. Bake until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pan and continue to cool on wire rack until completely cool before frosting.
Baking times:
(2) 9 inch pans and 9 x 13 pan: 23 – 28 minutes
8 x 4 loaf pans: 40 – 45 minutes
Cream Cheese Frosting
This is a delicious basic cream cheese frosting recipe for carrot cake and perfect for sweet rolls too. Adjust amount of sugar to your taste and for your preferred sweetness.
Ingredients
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 – 4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted so lump free
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions
Beat softened butter and cream cheese until well blended. Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat until creamy.
Start with 3 cups of sugar, add more after tasting to desired sweetness. Use 1/3 less fat cream cheese (Neufchatel) in place of the regular cream cheese if desired.
Notes:
If you don’t have a boxed spice cake mix in your pantry, substitute a yellow cake mix and add 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg.
Fill your pan(s) only 3/4 full so batter is at least 1 1/2″ below the rim of the pan to prevent batter overflowing pan.
Oven temperatures vary, depending on brand, age, whether electric or gas. Make sure you preheat your oven at least 20 minutes. If you plan on baking more while we’re all hunkering down and self-isolating, invest in an inexpensive oven thermometer to monitor your oven temperature.
Doctoring the Box: Carrot Cake from Spice Cake Mix
Ingredients
- 1 box Spice Cake Mix (I used Duncan Hines Deliciously Moist Cake Mix)
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 8 oz. can crushed pineapple in juice; drained, juice reserved
- 1 cup Reserved pineapple juice + water to equal 1 cup
- 2 cups finely grated / shredded carrots (bagged preshredded carrots from the grocery store will be too dry and hard. For best results use box grater or food processor, removing any large pieces)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup + more chopped pecans
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
- 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 3 - 4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted so lump free
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare pan(s) by spraying baking spray with flour or by lining with parchment paper. See notes below.
- Blend cake mix, water/pineapple juice mixture, vanilla, oil and eggs in large bowl at low speed until moistened, about 30 seconds. Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes.
- Stir in carrots, pineapple and pecans until incorporated throughout batter. Pour batter into pans and bake immediately.
- Baking times will vary depending on pans and oven. Bake until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Shield top of cake with aluminum foil to prevent overbrowning if needed.
- Cool cakes in pans on wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pan and continue to cool on wire rack until completely cool before frosting.
- Baking times:(2) 9 inch pans and 9 x 13 pan: 23 – 28 minutes8 x 4 loaf pans: 40 – 45 minutes
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Beat softened butter and cream cheese until well blended. Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat until creamy.
- Start with 3 cups of sugar, add more after tasting to desired sweetness. Use 1/3 less fat cream cheese (Neufchatel) in place of the regular cream cheese if desired.
Notes
- May substitute boxed yellow cake mix for spice cake mix and add 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon and ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Fill your pan only 3/4 full with your batter at least 1 1/2" below the rim of the pan to prevent batter overflowing pan.
- You can use two 9 x 5 pans instead of two 8 x 4 pans but the cake will be flatter and won’t rise as much. It’ll also bake a little faster so check for doneness earlier.
- For easy removal, I like to line my pan with parchment paper. Spray your pan and then line your pan with parchment paper that hangs over the edge of your pan. The spray will keep your paper in place and from slipping so no batter gets underneath the paper. Parchment is nonstick and you can lift the cake out of the pan using the ends of the paper. Parchment paper also helps regulate the temperature and can neutralize hot spots as a barrier between the pan and your batter.
- Optional: Add ½ cup coconut and ½ cup chopped raisins to batter if desired (baking time may need to increase)
- Ovens can vary by 50 degrees higher or lower than the desired temperature. Use an inexpensive oven thermometer to get the most accurate reading and preheat your oven at least 20 minutes. If you plan on baking more while we’re all hunkering down and self-isolating, invest in an oven thermometer. They’re inexpensive and you can order one on Amazon that will do the trick for around $7.
Find more Spring and Easter desserts to make your celebration extra sweet, HERE.
You’ll find recipes for Easter Basket cakes and cupcakes, Peeps Chocolate Chip Cookie Tart, No-Bake Easter Bunny Bark, Rosemary Lemon Bars, Almond and Poppy Seed Loaf Cake, Bunny Tail Bonbons and more.
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Metamorphosis Monday
Yum! This is a “keeper” recipe. Thank you!
Thanks Home my friend
On Thu, 16 Apr 2020, 4:05 pm Home is Where the Boat Is, wrote:
> Mary posted: ” An easy and deliciously moist, doctor-the-box recipe for > carrot cake! Perfectly paired with homemade cream cheese frosting! We’re > spending more time in the kitchen these days while we’re self-isolating at > home. With fewer trips to the grocery st” >
Mary, I love doctoring the box also and I love carrot cake. I always bake a carrot cake for Easter, but not this year. Thank you for sharing your recipe, now if only I had a slice with my coffee this morning!
Oh this looks soooooooo good! I have not had carrot cake in a long time! Yum! I may actually have a spice cake in my pantry……….. I’m off to look.
Looks absolutely delicious! My favorite.
Wish I had a piece of it right now with my morning coffee.
Have a great day and thanks for sharing………
I’m a big fan of the doctored mix Mary, makes baking cakes a breeze! I like your idea of baking a cake in 2 loaf pans, one to eat and one to freeze or gift. Your carrot cake with cream cheese icing sounds divine!
Jenna
It is quite amazing how we can use all those things in our pantry to create good tasting meals during this stay at home order. I have become the casserole queen during this pandemic. Also saving all leftovers the way my Mother did and using every little bit of them. This morning I made scrambled eggs and added a little bit of cheddar cheese and a cup of leftover spinach.Delicious. I am lucky enough to be getting fresh eggs from my daughter who has chickens. Will try my hand at banana bread and may add some shredded carrots I found in fridge. Thanks Mary for your ideas and for continuing to do your blog. It is the highlight of my morning.
In the beginning of this post, it says that you substitute buttermilk for water and also add an extra egg. Do you do this in this specific carrot cake? Or is that more of a general comment?
That’s in general to doctor a box cake mix. For this carrot cake use the ingredients in the printable recipe. It has an extra egg (4 instead of 3 called for on the box). The liquid in the case is the the pineapple juice plus water to equal 1 cup.
It’s so funny, Mary, I have a box of spice cake mix in my pantry. I also used your doctored up cake mix for a strawberry cake mix for bunny cakelets, that I brought to Harper and Hayden. Yes, I broke the shelter in place rule, as they invited my son and I to spend the night. My son and DIL are working from home and the little ones haven’t been anywhere. However, I made cream cheese frosting for the bunny tails, but left it in my fridge, so I even have that. Thanks for sharing your recipe with us!
Looks so delicious! A trick that I use when making a carrot cake is to use canned carrots (drained). I just chop them up with a food chopper before adding to the cake mixture. So easy and also makes the cake moist. I like to doctor up cake mixes also.
Mary, We also have a box of spice cake that I really didn’t know what to do with! Thanks to you, I know now. I have all the ingredients too. Yay! Looks & sounds delicious! Stay safe and be well. Clara♥️
Looks yummy! I made banana nut bread yesterday and plan to make another blueberry loaf today. Lots of baking going on here. Oink, Oink!
This receipe looks so good. I get brown eggs from a gal at church, I like brown eggs and keep sending recipes, I look forward to them.
How long can you freeze it for and what’s the best process when thawing it from the freezer to ready-for-serving?
Yum! since being stuck in the house I’ve done more baking then usual, so much that my better half has suggested not baking for a while. But this cake looks so easy I must try it. I even sent it to my sister in law because carrot cake is her hubbys’ favorite. Keep up the good work. I love your ideas.
This is one beautiful, delicious looking cake! Love home-made cream cheese frosting! Like your tips about the extra egg and the buttermilk. Also, liked Bobbi T’s idea about canned carrots and the ease of using them instead of having to grate fresh carrots. I have a recipe for carrot cake that calls for 2 small jars of baby food pureed carrots and it always turns out super moist also. I will have to print this recipe out and add it to my recently created “Mary’s Recipes” notebook. Thanks Mary! Keep calm and bake on! 😉♥️
Love this post! It’s always great to have a simple, off-the-shelf item and make it great by some simple additions. You don’t have to be a chef to create things that are quick, affordable, and yummy. Of course the bonus is that your house always smells amazing when the kitchen is in full use. I’m sure that now, more than ever, people are appreciating your tips since there are likely more people cooking at home than previously!
I hope you and your family are well. All the best to you!
~Mary~
Thanks for sharing this looks wonderful , and will look great on my hips , hahah!! But, I will definitely bake and share this for sure !!
Take care of You and your family !
xo
Paula
IN
This looks wonderful! Thank you for sharing your recipe!
love this! I made carrot cake just a few days ago too!! we are on the same wavelength
nice to find you I am super new here! cheers to making and baking on !!
I too doctor the box with my cake mixes and cookie mixes. I am going to have to try this recipe. My husband will love it.
Has anyone tried using a Bundt pan? Would it work with this? Would the baking time increase?
A 12-cup Bundt pan should work fine, fill your pan only 3/4 full so batter is at least 1 1/2″ below the rim of the pan to prevent batter overflowing pan when baking (any extra batter can go in a muffin pan). You’ll need to increase baking time since a Bundt pan is deeper, maybe 30% longer.
How long can you freeze it for and what’s the best process when thawing it from the freezer to ready-for-serving?
Freeze for up to 3 months for best flavor. To freeze, wrap in plastic wrap and overwrap in aluminum foil. Thaw wrapped cake in fridge a day before serving (be sure to keep it wrapped as it’s thawing so condensation doesn’t make cake soggy). Cakes will take about 8 hours to thaw in refrigerator.
Wow looks so tempting…
I made this cake it’s delicious I used baby food carrots in the jar instead of grated worked perfect Thanks for sharing.Sherrie Price
I made it with 3 eggs, added unsweetened coconut, raisins too ! I have a small Ninja oven – so I use mini loave pan and 1 small bundt cake pan thank you
can you make cupcakes from this recipe? Any changes needed?
I was wondering the same thing. Did you ever hear back?
Hi, Just reduce the baking time, fill cupcake liners 2/3 full of batter. Most cupcakes bake in about 15 to 20 minutes, err on the side of caution and start with the 15 minutes and test for doneness. Your cupcakes are done baking when a wooden toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean with no crumbs on it. You can also try baking just one cupcake as a test to start with, which will help you determine the right baking time for the rest of the batch. Allow cupcakes to cool in the pan 5 to 10 minutes, then remove from pan and cool cupcakes completely on a wire rack.
My hisbamd loves spice cake and I love carrot cake. This cake was a great combination of both! I made a two tier 9″ round cake with the cream cheese frosting and It was so moist and delicious. Best recipe for a doctored up spice cake both my hisband and I have ever had.
Hi I’m allergic to pineapples if I omit them will the cake still be moist?
Hi, You can try subbing unsweetened applesauce for the pineapple.
I have jumbo eggs should I use 3 instead of 4 large ones?
Hi Cheryl, Using a different size egg will alter the liquid ratio in a recipe and also potentially deprive it of the required leavening power (or provide too much, which might cause a cake to rise too quickly and then collapse).
Here’s the ounce equivalent per egg size:
Large: about 2 ounces
Extra-Large: about 2 1/4 ounces
Jumbo: about 2 1/2 ounces
Just made the cake for Easter dinner! It tasted moist and so delicious! The frosting recipe was great too. Thanks!
I omitted the pineapple due to a lack of appreciation (ha-ha), and used canned vanilla icing because it was in the pantry. Turned out beautifully. This recipe is a keeper!
Made this today. Wow! I did use the matchstick carrots from the grocery, and it turned out fine. They seemed pretty soft and moist, but that might be a brand thing. Got them at Walmart. I also used rum flavor in the batter instead of vanilla. 🙃 the frosting turned out well, too. I had to put it in the microwave for 15 seconds so I could work it.
I never made a carrot cake basically from scratch before, and it sure isn’t anything like commercial carrot cakes, and neither is the frosting. Hubs really loves carrot cake, and I know this will be a keeper recipe for us. Thank you for it!
The frosting is quite versatile, too! I made a lemon cake this week, and used the basic cream cheese frosting recipe again. I added the zest from one small lemon and used lemon extract instead of vanilla (or rum, LOL), and it is fantastic! I think adding orange zest and flavor would be really good on the carrot cake, too, or even a chocolate cake!
I want to make this today, but only have carrot cake boxed mix. How should I adjust the spices? Thank you!
I don’t know how ‘carrot-y’ the carrot cake mix is and have only made it using a spice cake mix. Maybe only add 1 cup finely grated carrots and keep the other ingredients the same. Let me know how it turns out. :)
How did it turn out? I also wanted to try adding fresh carrots to mix
Made this cake for my husband’s birthday. Used a Duncan-Hines moist spice cake, and it turned out really dense and flat. Not sure what I did wrong. Used a 9×13 glass pan, and had to cook it for 45 minutes, and I still worry it’s not cooked through even though the edges pulled away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick in the middle came out clean. Not sure what I did wrong? Or is it supposed to be really, really dense?
Hi, I think the culprit might have been your glass pan. Glass dishes are better suited for lasagna or a casserole than a cake (or brownies) as glass is an insulator and retains heat longer, which can result in uneven baking. By the time the interior is baked through, the exterior is often overcooked and dry (dense). If you bake brownies or a cake in glass again, lower your oven temperature by 25 degrees. There’s a good article on baking in glass vs. metal pans by King Arthur Flour, HERE.
I made this cake it’s delicious I used baby food carrots in the jar instead of grated worked perfect Thanks for sharing.
I’m so glad it was a hit, thanks for letting me know about the baby food!
Can I substitute Club soda for the milk?
Have a friend who follows a gluten free food plan. Substituted a yellow gluten free cake mix and added 1 tsp of cinnamon, 1/2 tsp of cloves and 1/2 tsp of nutmeg, including the raisins and coconut as suggested. It was a huge success!
Can I leave out the pineapple & Pineapple juice?