Who doesn't love all things sweet treat-related? But hey, who has time to spend all day sweating over a hot oven? Not me ...

How I Tested These Carrot Cake Mixes For faster baking and easier sharing, I prepared each mix as directed and made cupcakes, following the visual cues and timing to determine doneness.

Sure, the grating effort does take more manual work, but the added satisfaction pays off. Especially when you pair with textural additions like nuts, raisins, coconut, and even candied ginger ...

I also did my own taste test, of course, judging the overall flavor, spice level, tenderness of the cake, and finally, which mix was a solid representation of carrot cake.