Slow Cooker Carrot Cake


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This semi-from-scratch Slow Cooker Carrot Cake is made with a box of spice cake mix, shredded carrots, and chopped walnuts. You’ll also use just a few ingredients to make your own homemade cream cheese frosting. You’re just a dump and whip away from making the best homemade carrot cake.

Once you make this carrot cake recipe, I just know you’ll want to try more! Add my Slow Cooker Cherry Chip Cake and Key Lime Cake to your recipe book too.

carrot cake with icing and carrots on top in a slow cooker.
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Why this carrot cake recipe works

Homemade carrot cake often calls for a lot of ingredients. With this crock pot recipe, you can skip the all purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, cake pans, the food processor, and all of the other ingredients and gadgets you’d normally need to make the perfect carrot cakes.

Instead, all you’ll need is a box of spice cake mix, eggs, oil, water, shredded carrots, walnuts, and vanilla extract. In addition, you will make your own homemade cream cheese frosting using just four ingredients. If you need a delicious cake for your husband’s birthday, a kid’s birthday, or any special occasion – this is the best carrot cake to try! I promise you won’t be disappointed (and neither will the others who get to eat it too).

Recipe Ingredients

Ingredients for carrot cake on a table.
  • Spice Cake: I personally like to use Duncan Hines signature and perfectly moist spice cake. It has all the ingredients in it to make the perfect cake.
  • Cake Mix Ingredients: Eggs, oil, water, shredded carrots, walnuts, and vanilla extract are combined with the spice cake mix.
  • Homemade Icing: This will be made with cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar (or confectioners sugar), vanilla, and milk.

Step-by-Step Directions

Six images of how to make carrot cake in slow cooker.

Step One – In a large bowl add the spice cake mix, eggs, oil, water, shredded carrots, walnuts, and vanilla extract. Mix until combined, but don’t overmix. If you have lumps, that’s okay when using a cake mix.

Step Two – Pour the batter into a slow cooker sprayed with non stick cooking spray.

Step Three – Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 hours (or until set in the middle). When the cooking time is done, remove the ceramic insert from the heating element onto a cooling rack. Let the cake cool (uncovered) for at least 2 hours before frosting.

Step Four – (While the cake cools or towards the end of it cooling down) Start making the frosting by blending together the cream cheese and butter until combined. Gradually add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk. Blend until smooth, scrape down the sides of the bowl. Blend again.

Step Five – Spread the frosting evenly in one layer with a rubber spatula onto the cooled cake.

Step Six – Sprinkle with reserved nuts or royal icing carrots. Slice and serve. Enjoy!

Carrot cake in the slow cooker with carrot decorations on top.

Variations

  • If you want to change up the icing, you can go for ricotta icing.
  • In addition to the pecans and carrot candies toppings, you can also add raisins, extra shaved carrots, a dash of ground cinnamon, or chopped nuts of your choice.
  • Serve this cake alongside a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a squirt of whipped cream.
slice of carrot cake on a plate.

Recipe FAQs

What appliances do I need to make the frosting?

You can use a stand mixer or a handheld electric mixer.

Can I use unsalted butter?

Yes. That will not change the taste of the cake by much if at all.

Can I make carrot cake with extra ingredients to enhance the taste?

Sure. I’ve seen some variations also add crushed pineapple.

Could I use parchment paper instead of nonstick cooking spray?

Yes, Parchement paper works well for cakes in the crockpot.

How do I store leftover carrot cake?

Place any remaining cake in an airtight container and keep it on the countertop or store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.

How can I decorate the cake with carrot icing?

For an easy way to decorate, I use Royal Icing Carrots from Amazon!

carrot cake with fork in it.

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Carrot cake in the slow cooker with carrot decorations on top.

Slow Cooker Carrot Cake

5 from 1 vote
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 8
A box of spice cake mix, a few pantry staples, and a homemade cream cheese icing makes this the best (and easiest) carrot cake you'll ever make.

Ingredients 
 

  • 15.25 oz. spice cake mix
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup oil
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 cup finely shredded carrots, (this is about 2 carrots)
  • 1/2 cup walnuts
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract

For the cream cheese frosting

  • 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
  • ½ cup salted butter, softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp. vanilla

For topping

  • 1/2 cup walnuts

Instructions 

  • In a large bowl add the spice cake mix, eggs, oil, water, shredded carrots, walnuts and vanilla extract. Mix until combined, don't overmix, some lumps are fine when using a cake mix. You can use a hand held mixer or a spatula.
  • Spray the slow cooker with non stick spray. Pour in the batter, spread it out evenly. Cook on high for 2 hours or until set in the middle.
  • When the cooking time is done, remove the ceramic insert from the heating element onto a cooling rack. Let the cake cool (uncovered) for at least 2 hours before frosting.
  • When the cake is cooled, start making the frosting. You can use a stand mixer, or a handheld electric mixer. Blend together the cream cheese and butter until combined. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla and milk. Blend until smooth, scrape down the sides of the bowl and blend again.
  • Spread the frosting on the cooled cake. Sprinkle with reserved nuts (and or royal icing carrots – from amazon). Slice and serve.

Sarah’s Notes

  • Place any remaining cake in an airtight container and keep it on the countertop or store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
  • I bought the royal icing carrots from amazon, they are optional. You can sprinke the cake with nuts instead.

Nutrition

Calories: 745kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 54g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g | Monounsaturated Fat: 20g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 121mg | Sodium: 566mg | Potassium: 340mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 42g | Vitamin A: 2165IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 109mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.

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6 Comments

  1. JET says:

    5 stars
    We enjoyed it. I use plastic liner so it is easy to turn out.

  2. Yvonne Bugeja says:

    How much milk for the frosting? It isn’t listed in the ingredients.

  3. Greg Frye says:

    Can I add rasins & pineapple to the cake & how much can I use & when? Look forward to hearing from you

    Thank you
    Greg

    1. Sarah Olson says:

      I would add a 1/4 cup of raisins, and a half cup of very well drained crushed pineapple to the batter.

  4. Suzie says:

    My largest slow cooker is a 5 quart oval, do you think that would work if a cooked it a little longer?

    1. Sarah Olson says:

      It should do just fine!