Carrot Cake (box)
This cake is a staple at Gary's annual birthday poker party. Super easy - take the box cake mix and add the extra ingredients. Very close to making it from scratch but saves hours of work. I make the homemade cream cheese icing and no one knows the difference!
Ingredients
1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® carrot cake mix1/2 cup orange juice or water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 can (8 oz) crushed pineapple in juice, undrained
1 teaspoon orange peel (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 eggs
1/2 cup chopped nuts (walnuts)
1/2 cup coconut
1/2 cup chopped raisins (I don't chop them)
* Add 3/4 cup finely shredded carrots, if desired.
Frosting (or see Cream Cheese Icing recipe)
1 to 2 teaspoons orange peel, if desired
1 container (1 lb) Betty Crocker® Rich & Creamy cream cheese frosting
Instructions
Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Grease two 8- or 9-inch round cake pans or 13x9-inch pan and lightly flour, or spray with baking spray with flour.1. In large bowl, beat cake mix, orange juice, oil, pineapple, orange peel, vanilla and eggs on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes.
Stir in nuts, coconut, raisins and carrots. Pour into pans.
2. Bake 8- or 9-inch rounds 30 to 35 minutes, 13x9-inch pan 37 to 43 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes.
Run knife around side of pans to loosen cakes; remove rounds from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
3. Stir orange peel into frosting. Place 1 cake layer, rounded side down, on serving plate. Spread with about 1/3 cup frosting. Place other layer, rounded side up, on top. Frost side and top of cake with remaining frosting or frost top of 13x9-inch cake. Store in refrigerator.