Easy Pumpkin Carrot Cake
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Only 3 simple ingredients create a moist and super easy Pumpkin Carrot Cake with a cake mix. A box of carrot cake mix or spice cake mix can be used in this fall or harvest party dessert.
If you enjoy this easy fall dessert you may also enjoy our 4 ingredient Pumpkin Fluff and Old-Fashioned Apple Crisp.
Pumpkin Carrot Cake Recipe
Pumpkin and carrot are complementary, earthy flavors that taste great in a cake. Warm, mild flavors from a can of pumpkin and cake mix stir together with eggs to create a simple and delicious cake with just three ingredients. If you count the icing this is a 4 ingredient cake.
The cake has the density of a pumpkin roll, which is a bit more dense than our popular chocolate cake from a box mix. And the cream cheese icing is spread on top of this 9×13″ cake instead of rolled up in the middle like a pumpkin roll.
A box mix of carrot cake OR spice cake may be used. I recommend using the cake mix that you find easily at the grocery store.
Boxed carrot cake mix has pieces of carrot in it where boxed spice cake mix has a more uniform look, flavor and texture. We have tested and enjoy both options, but we prefer the spice cake mix.
If you love this cake and the rich icing you’ll also enjoy our Carrot Cake Loaf made with fresh carrots and baked in loaf pans.
Why This Recipe Works
- Only 3 ingredients make a wonderful fall flavored cake in under 10 minutes.
- When using spice cake mix there is a nice mild spice cake flavor, it is not super strong or overwhelming at all.
- Pureed pumpkin tones the flavor down making it enjoyable for all cake lovers!
- This is a super simple way to use a box spice cake mix to make a carrot cake.
Ingredients Needed:
- Carrot cake mix OR Spice cake mix
- Can of puréed pumpkin
- Eggs
How to Make Carrot Cake With Cake Mix
Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13 pan.
Pour cake mix into a mixing bowl. Add two eggs.
Add a can of pumpkin puree or pumpkin pie filling. I like to use a mini spatula to clean out the can.
Combine all ingredients and mix well.
Pour into pan and bake for 20 – 25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
Allow to cool and frost as desired. Homemade cream cheese frosting from this Pumpkin Bars recipe tastes great as well as a jar of prepared icing.
Store covered in plastic wrap or in an airtight container in the refrigerator to increase shelf life.
Pumpkin Carrot Cupcakes
Carrot cake mix and canned pumpkin can be mixed with 2 to 4 eggs to make simple cupcakes.
Line muffin tins and fill 3/4 full. Bake at 350°F for 18 – 25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Allow cupcakes to cool and then add frosting if desired.
We prefer to make a simple sheet cake because it saves so much time, but this recipe does offer multiple options.
This dessert is similar to a pumpkin roll in a cake form.
More Delicious Pumpkin and Carrot Recipes:
Pumpkin Spice Bread has a pound of pureed pumpkin to help keep each slice extra moist! Carrot Bread is another veggie packed bread that is super delicious!
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins with Applesauce is one of my son’s favorite after school snacks. These muffins are SO GOOD!
Pumpkin Pie Cake also begins with a box mix to make a cross between a pie and a cake!
More Easy Cake Recipes:
Coconut Cake starts with a box mix and is great for holiday parties and special occassions.
Pumpkin Carrot Cake
Author: JenniferIngredients
- 1 box Carrot cake mix spice cake mix can be substituted
- 15 ounces Pureed pumpkin
- 2 eggs
- 1 can cream cheese frosting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9 x 13" pan.
- In a mixing bowl combine ingredients and mix well.
- Pour into pan and bake for 20 – 25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow to cool and frost if desired.
Notes
- Store covered in plastic wrap or in an airtight container in the refrigerator to increase shelf life
Originally posted September 1, 2021 with updates made on September 6, 2023.
This looks delicious! Can’t wait to try it!
This sounds yummy!! I have a lot of frozen pumpkin that was from a large pumpkin. Could I use some of that instead of using canned pumpkin?
Hey There! Love that idea, but I haven’t personally tested it. Please let me know how it turns out if you do!
I have been looking for a recipe just like this! I added a couple honey crisp apples too, can’t wait for it to come out of the oven and let it cool so I can slather it in homemade cream cheese frosting
Do I do eggs, oil & water as instructed in cake mix box
Hey There! Great question – do not follow the box mix instructions, just use the ingredients I have listed for a super simple and delicious cake! Hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
I need to know too, I just made it without and it didn’t look right. But it’s in the oven so we will see
No. Just the 3 simple ingredients
Thank you so much! I love this recipe.
Happy Thanksgiving to you!
Delicious and so easy! I used a spice cake mix. I also made my own cream cheese frosting. Will definitely be making again!
Can I make cupcakes with this recipe instead of a full cake? Thanks so much for the recipe!
Hey There! I haven’t tried making cupcakes, but I imagine it would work with an adjusted baking time. Please let me know how it goes if you give it a try 🙂 Hope you enjoy!
Made this for friends. They loved it and it’s so easy to make. Stayed moist even after a few days .
Do I use puréed pumpkin or pumpkin pie filling?
Hey There! Great question – I use 100% pure pumpkin puree. Hope you enjoy the recipe as much as we do 🙂
Can this be frozen with the icing on it. We had so many desserts and I need to freeze some
Hey There! That’s a good question. I haven’t tested that. I think the quality would be affected, but might be better than wasting it. Hope this works out well for you 🙂
The can of cream cheese frosting is added to the cake mix or is it after cake is baked as frosting ?
Hey There! Good question – the frosting is spread on top after the cake is baked. Hope you enjoy 🙂
Will definitely make again.My family loved it.
If you finely chop carrots and add them to the mixture and bake for the same amount of time will it turn out ok?
Hey There! Sounds like a great way to add more carrot flavor to the cake. I haven’t tested that method, so I’m not exactly sure how that would affect the recipe. Please let me know if you give it a try. Hope you enjoy!
Great recipe! Our 10 year old grandson loved it and he won’t eat cakes! Thanks for sharing – it is so easy and so good!
Can you add crushed pineapples like in other carrot cake recipes?
Hey There! I haven’t tested this version, but if you do please let me know how it works. Thanks for visiting our website!
Made this cake today and my family loved it! I added 1.5 tsp vanilla extract to the cake and 2tsp pumpkin pie spice to the cream frosting. Also topped with chopped walnuts.