How to Make Betty Crocker Carrot Cake Mix Better? 6 Ideas
Betty Crocker is a big company that has offered a wide range of innovative products since 1920, like powders to prepare all types of cakes that can be a little difficult to prepare due to the lack of ingredients. One of those products is the carrot cake mix. This product is proven to be very delicious and of high quality. But what if I say that I have some tips to make this recipe even better?
The Betty Crocker Carrot Cake Mix can get better by adding buttermilk instead of water, butter instead of oil, whipping the egg whites, adding nuts and grated apple, and serving the cake with mascarpone cream. Combining some of those tricks or following all the steps together will make this cake delicious.
If you love carrot cakes, this article is for you. You already have the Betty Crocker Carrot Cake Mix, and all you need are my last tips. I assure you that you will want to try it as soon as possible. As a bonus, I wrote step-by-step recipe for the best Betty Crocker carrot cake I have ever made! Hope you’ll enjoy it!
How to Improve Betty Crocker Carrot Cake Mix?
Betty Crocker Carrot Cake Mix is an enriched flour bleached produced to create a delicious cake, easier and faster. Overall, if you mix Betty Crocker Carrot Cake Mix with water, eggs, and a little oil, you will have it ready to bake, and the results will be pleasant.
Although I have some tips that can make this cake better and better, you can enjoy the mixing benefits and extend the added values with everything I will explain below. Let’s see!
Include Buttermilk Instead of Water
To make it easier for the consumers, the packing advises you to mix it with water. One of the tricks I recommend to make this mix better is to use buttermilk instead of water. Buttermilk will increase the fat content and add a lot more flavor.
Buttermilk is known as a perfect ingredient to help the cake rise without the need for baking powder, but also it gives the cake another level of softness. So from now on, you know that the secret ingredient for all types of cakes, including Betty Crocker carrot cake, is buttermilk.
Whip the Egg Whites
Add the number of eggs determined in the packaging of your mix, but don’t forget to whip the egg whites separately until you obtain a foam form. Whipping the egg whites directly affects the volume of the cake and improves the texture by making it delicate and fluffy.
Add Butter
Instead of adding oil, choose fresh butter to add to your cake and the pan that will cook it. Please choose a suitable unsalted butter, melt it a little before and add it immediately to the dough before putting it in the pan. This technique will help the surface of the cake be a little crispy.
Add Nuts
Carrot cakes usually accept different nuts that can be chopped and added to the dough. Just a hand of them will be an added value to this recipe. The best suit is walnuts, but I prefer a lot more almonds.
I prefer to buy them from local farmers, not industrial versions, as most have a high salt content. You can also mix hazelnuts, almonds, and walnuts to have a little bit of everything.
Mascarpone Cream
My last touch of Betty Crocker Carrot Cake is the mascarpone cream. Mascarpone is the best cream that sends this recipe to another level. But again, you can be creative with how you prepare the cream.
The most common form is to mix mascarpone with granulated sugar and the juice and zest of an orange. Just stir those three ingredients together, and the cream is ready. Finally, you can put a thin layer on every slice of the cake and put some cinnamon.
Another way would be to put together ice sugar and some egg yolks in a bain-marie until the color of egg yolks gets lighter. Then you mix that with whipped egg whites and mascarpone together. You’ll have a more thick cream to put a thicker layer on your cake here.
If you don’t prefer to go into such procedures, you can also warm the mascarpone in a small pan, mix it with a minor quantity of milk and just put it on your dessert. So it depends on your taste how you prefer it.
Include Grated Apple
One grated apple will add moisture and sweetness to your carrot cake, so why not try it? What is more, you can combine this tip with nuts and raisins.
Simply put all ingredients in the cake batter and bake it as written on the packaging.
How to Make Cookies From Betty Crocker Carrot Cake Mix?
With the mix, you can do more than just the cake. Let’s say that cake can be a little too much for you, and you still have a lot of powder that needs to be cooked. What about cookies? I will share some cookies that will lighten your day.
Mix in a bowl the Betty Crocker Carrot Cake Mix with one box of instant vanilla pudding, two eggs, some grated zucchini, and carrots. Make sure to squeeze dry the zucchini before adding it. After, you need to whisk the ingredients until they are well combined into a solid dough.
At this point, you can give the cookies the shape you want, with cookie cutters or with your hands. Then, put them on baking paper with a bit of butter and bake them at 350°F for 10-15 minutes.
Let them cool for 30 more minutes, and they are ready to be consumed or decorated if you want to add more elements like frosting or chocolate ganache.
What Ingredients to Use in Homemade Carrot Cake?
You can use all-purpose flour as the best selection for this recipe. However, if you want to prepare a gluten-free carrot cake, make the proper adjustments in the type of flour.
There is always the dilemma of whether you should choose white or brown sugar in your recipes when it comes to sugar. So why not combine those two? Brown sugar helps in the soft texture, and the white one improves the taste.
As per eggs, make sure to be fresh and at room temperature. Suppose those two parameters are respected, and the result in the recipe is noticeable.
Of course, a dozen carrots are the secret of the carrot cake. Fresh and juicy, I would advise you to grate the carrots. This is the most efficient way for carrots to keep their juice and shape better. Don’t spare them, but as much as needed, and maybe a little more; that’s the point, right?
The last four elements are small in quantity but needed: Salt, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and oil. Put them right in the size the recipe asks for.
Extra elements like nuts or dry fruits can be possible and favorable in a recipe like that. Be creative and choose what you like to put there: pecans, raisins, hazelnuts, etc.
And now, the recipe.
How to Make Betty Crocker Carrot Cake Mix Better?
Equipment
- 1 13”x 9” Baking Pan
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 box Betty Crocker Carrot Cake Mix
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ⅔ cup vegetable oil
- 3 eggs
- 1 apple (grated)
Frosting
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 17.5 oz fresh cheese (cottage cheese or similar) (500 grams)
Instructions
Cake
- Heat oven to 315°F (160 °C) and grease the bottom of your cake pan.
- Mix Cake Mix, buttermilk, oil, grated apple, and eggs in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed. Beat the mixture for 2 minutes.
- Pour the mixture into the pan.
- I always bake the cakes in one cake pan and then cut the cake horizontally. To bake this Betty Crocker carrot cake fully, you need to bake it at 315 °F for 45 minutes. (Alternatively, bake the cake by separating the batter into two 9'' rounds and following the instructions on the back.)
- Bake until the toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for at least 1 hour before cutting it in half. (If you used two cake pans, then you won't cut the cakes in half, but you still need to wait before spreading the cheese frosting on the cake.)
Cheese frosting
- I use fresh cheese such as cottage cheese for cheesecakes and carrot cakes. It is lighter, more sour, and healthier than cream cheese. I like it that way, but you can also use cream cheese.
- However, I don't leave my fresh cheese grainy. Rather, I use a hand mixer and blend it until it becomes creamy. Add powdered sugar to the cheese and mix some more, until blended.
- In a separate bowl, whip the whipping cream until foamy texture.
- Add cheese to whipping cream and mix.
Putting everything together
- Leave one cake on the plate. Spread half of the cheese frosting on the first cake. Put the second cake on top, and then spread the rest of the frosting.
- Cool completely before serving. Enjoy! 🙂
