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    Home » Recipes » Cakes

    Carrot Cake Poke Cake

    By: Jessica · Posted: May 30, 2025 · Updated: Jun 8, 2025 · This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

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    Jump to Recipe 5 comments
    5 from 4 votes
    slice of carrot walnut cake with text on image

    Carrot Cake Poke Cake: This quick and easy version of a classic carrot cake recipe is made with a box cake mix and has a light whipped frosting that makes this cake irresistible!

    Quick Overview: Mix cake ingredients, bake at 350° for 28-30 mins. Prepare pudding mix, poke holes and pour pudding over cake; chill. Make frosting and spread over cake. Serve & enjoy!

    A square of carrot walnut cake with a bite out of it.

     

    Carrot cake is a classic for good reason – it’s a moist cake that’s full of spice and flavor! This would be the perfect cake to enjoy in the fall, or around Easter but it’s sure to be a hit anytime.

    If you’re a fan of carrot cake desserts, this old-fashioned carrot cake recipe and these no bake carrot cake rice krispie treats are fun to try next.

    Why You’ll Love This Carrot Walnut Cake Recipe

    This easy cake recipe uses a cake mix and French Vanilla instant pudding to make a quick, easy, and delicious carrot cake in no time! Traditional carrot cakes have a cream cheese frosting, but this quick version has a light, fluffy powdered sugar frosting that you’ll love (trust me, this might just be the best carrot cake recipe ever).

    Jump to:
    • Why You’ll Love This Carrot Walnut Cake Recipe
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Substitutions
    • Variations
    • Storage
    • Expert tips and FAQs
    • Related Recipes
    • Recipe
    • Comments

    Ingredients

    • 1 – 15.25 ounce Duncan Hines Spice cake mix
    • 1 – 3.4 ounce instant Jello French Vanilla pudding mix (this is the secret ingredient that creates a super moist texture)
    • 1 cup shredded carrots (about 2 good sized carrots)
    • ½ cup chopped walnuts (plus extra for garnishing)
    • 3 eggs
    • 1 cup milk
    • ½ cup oil

    Pudding

    • 1 – 3.4 ounce Jello French Vanilla pudding mix
    • 3 cups milk

    Frosting

    • 2 cups heavy cream
    • 4 tablespoons powdered sugar (aka icing sugar)

    See the printable recipe card below for exact quantities and step-by-step instructions.

    Ingredients for carrot walnut cake laid out on a counter with labels on the image.
    Ingredients.

    Instructions

    How to make carrot walnut cake

    1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
    2. Butter a 9×13 dish or spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside. 
    3. In a large bowl, pour the cake mix, instant French vanilla pudding, carrots, and walnuts. Mix until all ingredients are combined using a Danish dough hook, a fork, or a whisk. You can also do this in the bowl of an electric mixer on low speed.
    Carrots, walnuts, and cake mix in a bowl.
    Mix dry ingredients.
    1. Add the eggs, milk, and oil to the flour mixture. Mix until the wet mixture and flour mixture are fully combined. For this step you can use the paddle attachment of a stand mixer on medium speed, a hand mixer, or just mix by hand with a wooden spoon. 
    Milk, eggs, and dry ingredients in a bowl.
    Add wet ingredients.
    1. Pour the carrot cake batter into the prepared 9×13 dish. Bake in the preheated oven for 28 to 30 minutes or until the edges are set and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Note: If you use a different cake mix than I did the baking time and temperature may be different. 
    Baked carrot walnut cake in a 9x13 pan.
    Bake for 28-30 mins at 350°.
    1. Let the cake cool completely on a wire rack (you could prepare the pudding while you wait). With the handle of a wood spoon or a straw poke holes all over the cake. 
    Carrot walnut cake in a 9x13 pan with holes poked all over it.
    Poke holes in the baked cake.

    Making the Pudding Mix

    1. Mix the ingredients for the pudding (milk and instant French Vanilla pudding mix). 
    2. Gently pour over the cake. 
    Pudding mix spread over baked 9x13 carrot walnut cake.
    Pour pudding over cake.
    1. Place the cake in the freezer for 10 minutes to allow the pudding to firm up (just enough time to make the frosting). If you don’t want to freeze it, you can let it set at room temperature for an hour or longer so the pudding can firm up. 

    Making the Frosting

    1. Pour the cold, heavy cream in a clean bowl of a stand mixer or mixing bowl if you are using a hand mixer and whip on high until you get soft peaks (approximately 2 to 3 minutes).
    2. Add the sugar and mix until you get stiff peaks.
    3. Carefully spread the creamy frosting over the entire cake layer with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon.
    Frosting spread over a baked 9x13 pan of carrot walnut cake.
    Spread frosting over the cake.
    1. Sprinkle walnuts on top of the cake, serve, and enjoy!
    Spread walnuts over the cake.
    Garnish your frosted cake with walnuts.

    Substitutions

    Need to make a substitution? Here are my suggestions…

    • Carrots – If you don’t have carrots or have a carrot allergy, you can try using grated sweet potato instead!
    • Walnuts – I love walnuts in carrot cake, but you could use your favorite nut in its place. Almonds, pecans, or even hazelnuts would be delicious!
    • Milk – I used 2% milk in this recipe, but you could replace it with whole milk, 1% milk, or even a non-dairy milk.
    • Oil – You can use your favorite oil (vegetable, canola oil, grapeseed oil, coconut oil).

    Variations

    If you are looking to make a few additions or changes to this recipe, I have a few suggestions! Why not try…

    • Adding Raisins – I know this one is a bit of a love it or not a fan, but for me it’s a love! I love raisins in carrot cake, and if you do too feel free to mix some in!
    • Make Carrot Cake Cupcakes – Instead of making this recipe in a 9×13 pan, you could make these as cupcakes. Simply mix the cake batter as the recipe says, but bake it for however long your cake mix says to bake cupcakes (or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean). Then poke a hole in each cupcake, add the pudding and chill. Top the cupcakes with frosting and nuts (or any other topping you like)!
    • Spice It Up – If you like your carrot cake spicy, you can add an extra teaspoon of cinnamon to your cake mixture!

    Storage

    Store leftovers for 3-4 days in an airtight container in the fridge to keep it fresh.

    Expert tips and FAQs

    Can I freeze carrot poke cake?

    I would recommend freezing the cake without the pudding or frosting. The cake, wrapped in a freezer safe bag, can be frozen for up to 2 months.

    Can I use butter instead of oil in this recipe?

    Yes, you can substitute oil for butter, but I wouldn’t recommend it. Using oil makes your carrot cake more moist and decadent and will give you the best results. The butter, even melted, will make for a dryer cake. Because you are adding carrots and walnuts, you need the extra moisture that the oil can give you.

    Did you make this? I’d be so grateful if you left a “star” rating below to let me know what you thought! Then, the next time you need a quick and easy recipe, come back to Fantabulosity to browse all of my easy recipes!

    Related Recipes

    If you’re looking for more quick and easy cake recipes, you have to try this hot fudge cake (this one’s for the chocolate lovers, for sure) or this pumpkin poke cake (it’s a super easy recipe with only 4 ingredients)!

    Originally published: June 2022
    Updated and republished with video: May 2025

    Recipe

    A square of carrot walnut cake.

    Carrot Cake Poke Cake

    Jessica Burgess
    Carrot Cake Poke Cake: This quick and easy version of a classic carrot cake recipe is made with a box cake mix and has a light whipped frosting that makes this cake irresistible! 
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time 28 minutes mins
    Total Time 48 minutes mins
    Course Dessert, Snack
    Cuisine American
    Servings 18 servings
    Calories 225 kcal

    Video

    Ingredients

    Cake

    • 1 – 15.25 ounce Duncan Hines Spice cake mix
    • 1 – 3.4 ounce instant Jello French Vanilla pudding mix
    • 1 cup grated carrots about 2 good sized carrots
    • ½ cup chopped walnuts plus extra for garnishing
    • 3 eggs
    • 1 cup milk
    • ½ cup oil

    Pudding

    • 1 – 3.4 ounce Jello French Vanilla pudding mix
    • 3 cups milk

    Frosting

    • 2 cups heavy cream
    • 4 tablespoons powdered sugar

    Instructions
     

    Cake

    • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
    • Butter a 9×13 dish or spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
    • In a large bowl, pour the cake mix, instant French vanilla pudding, carrots, and walnuts. Mix until all ingredients are combined using a Danish dough hook, a fork, or a whisk. You can also do this in the bowl of an electric mixer on low speed. 
    • Add the eggs, milk, and oil to the flour mixture. Mix until all combined. For this step you can use the paddle attachment of a stand mixer on medium speed or a hand mixer. 
    • Pour the dough into the prepared 9×13 dish. Bake in the preheated oven for 28 to 30 minutes or until the edges are set and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. 
      Note: If you use a different cake mix than I did the cooking time and temperature may be different.
    • Let the cake cool completely. With the handle of a wood spoon or a straw poke holes all over the cake.

    Pudding

    • Mix the ingredients for the pudding (milk and instant French Vanilla pudding mix).
    • Gently pour over the cake.
    • Place the cake in the freezer for 10 minutes to allow the pudding to firm up (just enough time to make the frosting). If you don't want to freeze it, you can let it set at room temperature for an hour or longer so the pudding can firm up.

    Frosting

    • Pour the cold, heavy cream in a clean bowl of a stand mixer or mixing bowl if you are using a hand mixer and whip on high until you get soft peaks (approximately 2 to 3 minutes).
    • Add the sugar and mix until you get stiff peaks.
    • Carefully spread over the cake with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon.
    • Sprinkle walnuts on top, serve and enjoy!

    Notes

    STORAGE: for 3-4 days in an airtight container in the fridge to keep it fresh.
    FREEZING: I would recommend freezing the cake without the pudding or frosting. The cake, wrapped in a freezer safe bag, can be frozen for up to 2 months.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1slice | Calories: 225kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 50mg | Potassium: 155mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1705IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 94mg | Iron: 0.3mg

    Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.

    Keywords cake mix, carrot cake, easy carrot cake
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    Comments

      5 from 4 votes (1 rating without comment)

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    1. Barb says

      June 08, 2025 at 10:08 am

      5 stars
      In the process of making this cake but have a question. How can it be left at room temperature with milk and heavy cream part of the ingredients?

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        June 08, 2025 at 12:16 pm

        Hi Barb! It SHOULD be in the refrigerator — thank you for checking!

        Reply
        • Barb says

          June 08, 2025 at 2:54 pm

          Thanks!!! Can’t wait to eat it!!!

          Reply
    2. Kristyn says

      February 24, 2023 at 10:15 am

      5 stars
      This cake is so moist!! Love the crunch from the walnuts. I am so excited for this time of year, when all I want to bake is carrot cake!!

      Reply
    3. Jamie says

      February 24, 2023 at 10:15 am

      5 stars
      Loved this carrot cake! So moist and flavorful!

      Reply

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    Jessica Burgess of Fantabulosity, slicing an avocado.

    Hi, I'm Jessica! - Owner and Creator of the blog and brand, Fantabulosity.

    I’m here to teach you how to make quick and easy recipes, using simple ingredients, that your family will love.

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