Best 2 Shortcut Carrot Cake Recipes

Carrot cake is a moist and flavorful dessert that is enjoyed by people of all ages. Its unique combination of spices, nuts, and carrots gives it a distinct and delicious taste. You can make a carrot cake from scratch, but there are many easy ways to make a shortcut carrot cake.

These shortcut recipes use a combination of store-bought ingredients and fresh ingredients to create a delicious and moist carrot cake. The recipes included in this article are:

* **Shortcut Carrot Cake:** This recipe uses a box of spice cake mix, crushed pineapple, and shredded carrots to create a moist and flavorful carrot cake. The recipe also includes a simple cream cheese frosting that is the perfect finishing touch.
* **Cream Cheese Carrot Cake:** This recipe uses a combination of flour, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda to create a light and fluffy carrot cake. The cake is then topped with a cream cheese frosting that is made with cream cheese, butter, and powdered sugar.
* **One-Bowl Carrot Cake:** This recipe is perfect for those who are short on time or who don't want to dirty a lot of dishes. The cake is made in a single bowl and uses a combination of flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg. The cake is then topped with a simple glaze made with powdered sugar and milk.

No matter which recipe you choose, you're sure to enjoy this delicious and classic dessert.

Let's cook with our recipes!

SHORTCUT CARROT CAKE

Shortcut Carrot Cake image

This is one of the best carrot cakes we have had. It is from Kraft, and is SO easy. I changed it a tad, by adding golden raisins to my liking, and I made it in a 11x13 pan, and added baking time to it until it tested done as directed. The prep time was based on shredding the carrots, but buying the prepared carrots cuts the prep time to about 10 minutes!

Provided by Charkie

Categories Dessert

Time 55m

Yield 18 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 10

Ingredients

1 (18 ounce) box spice cake mix
3 eggs (or as called for by your cake mix)
1/3 cup oil (or as called for by your cake mix)
1 1/3 cups water (or as called for by your cake mix)
2 cups shredded carrots (about 1/2 lb.)
1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup chopped pecans, divided
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 (8 ounce) container Cool Whip Topping, thawed

Steps:

PREHEAT oven to 350°F, and spray baking pans with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350°F.
Prepare cake mix batter as directed on package, stirring in carrots, pineapple and 3/4 cup of the pecans until well blended.
Pour into 2 (9-inch) square baking pans.
Bake 25 to 30 minute or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool.
MEANWHILE, beat cream cheese and sugar with electric mixer or wire whisk until well blended.
Stir in whipped topping until well blended.
PLACE 1 cake layer on serving plate.
Spread with 1-1/2 cups of the cream cheese mixture.
Carefully place second cake layer on top of first cake layer.
Frost top and sides of cake with remaining cream cheese mixture.
Garnish with remaining 1/4 cup pecans.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.

SHORTCUT CARROT CAKE RECIPE

Shortcut Carrot Cake Recipe image

Provided by TheresaJ

Number Of Ingredients 7

Ingredients

1 pkg. (2-layer size) spice cake mix
2 cups shredded carrots (about 3 large)
1 can (8 oz.) crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup chopped PLANTERS Pecans, divided
2 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed

Steps:

HEAT oven to 350°F. PREPARE cake batter as directed on package; stir in carrots, pineapple and 3/4 cup nuts. Pour into 2 (9-inch) square pans sprayed with cooking spray. Bake 25 to 30 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 min.; invert onto wire racks. Remove pans. Turn cakes over; cool completely. MEANWHILE, beat cream cheese and sugar until well blended. Whisk in COOL WHIP. STACK cake layers on plate, spreading frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake. Top with remaining nuts. Keep refrigerated.

Tips:

For a moister cake, use freshly grated carrots. Avoid pre-packaged shredded carrots, as they tend to be drier.
Use a food processor to quickly and easily chop the carrots and nuts.
If you don't have a food processor, you can grate the carrots by hand and chop the nuts with a knife.
Be sure to toast the nuts before adding them to the cake batter. This will enhance their flavor and give the cake a more complex texture.
Don't overmix the batter. Overmixing can result in a tough, dense cake.
Bake the cake at a moderate temperature (350 degrees F) for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let the cake cool completely before frosting it. This will help the frosting set properly.
For a cream cheese frosting that is not too sweet, use equal parts cream cheese and powdered sugar.
If you prefer a sweeter frosting, add more powdered sugar to taste.
Feel free to get creative with your frosting. You can add spices, extracts, or even chopped nuts to the frosting for a unique flavor.

Conclusion:

This shortcut carrot cake is a delicious and easy-to-make treat that is perfect for any occasion. With its moist, flavorful cake and creamy frosting, this cake is sure to be a hit with everyone who tries it. So next time you're looking for a quick and easy dessert, give this shortcut carrot cake a try. You won't be disappointed!