The weekend went by way too fast wouldn’t you say? I guess I can’t complain since we get an extra day this weekend. Easter is this Sunday and I’m so glad I don’t have to host a house full of hungry folks who can’t wait for Lent to be over. 
My bestie, host Easter brunch in her home and I make sure I’m super sweet to her all year so I won’t get “X” off the guest list. I host Thanksgiving and it takes me a year to recover from all the cooking, cleaning and washing so getting invited to a fabulous meal that I don’t have to slave over is a treat. Most of the guest help out by bringing their signature dish to share. Once the dinner is over, we (the women) slip on our slides and head to the kitchen for clean up duty. It’s really fun because this is our chance to catch up on what’s going on in our lives.
I promised to bake a Million Dollar Pound Cake for the dinner and I’ll throw in another dish just to sweeten the deal. While I was digging through my recipe box, I came across this Carrot Cake recipe and decided to whip it up over the weekend. Y’all, this “CC” is scrumptious and taste scratch baked but it starts with a cake mix.
This “Almost Scratch Carrot Cake” is perfect for Easter or anytime you have a taste for a moist cake filled with robust spices and topped with fluffy cream cheese frosting. You can’t go wrong with this one.
Until next time,
Enjoy.
Yields 12
40 minPrep Time
25 minCook Time
1 hr, 5 Total Time
Save RecipeIngredients
- 1 yellow cake mix (I used Duncan Hines Yellow)
- 2 cups grated carrots
- 2/3 cup milk (I used fat free lactose free)
- 3 eggs (slightly beaten)
- 1 stick plus 1 tablespoon butter softened
- ½ cup golden raisins
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 small box of vanilla instant pudding and pie filling
- 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
Instructions
- Grease and flour 3 8-inch cake pans. Preheat oven to 180C/350F
- In a large bowl, add all the ingredients except the raisins. Beat at low speed with a hand mixer or stand mixer until ingredients are incorporated. Increase to medium speed and mix well. Fold in raisins.
- Divide the batter into the three prepared pans and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cakes cool in pans for five minutes then invert onto a cooling rack and cool completely.
- Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1- 8 ounce package of cream cheese room temperature
- 1 stick of butter at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups confectioner’s sugar
- In a medium bowl, add cream cheese and butter. Beat on low speed until well blended. Add vanilla, blend well. Add sugar, 1 cup at a time starting on low speed until incorporated then medium speed to mix well. Frost in between each layer, top and sides. Garnish with toasted pecans.
