FIVE goals in a balmy first 30 minutes proved more than enough to see off the challenge of plucky League Two Barnet in the first round of the Carling Cup.
A double by Jamie Cureton, a pile-driver by Simon Lappin and subsequent strikes by Darel Russell and Mark Fotheringham put the Canaries out of sight after just half an hour.
Less pleasing for boss Peter Grant will be the second half, when the Canaries switched off defensively and allowed the Bees to grab two goals without reply.
The game ended on a sour note for the visitors, with Neal Bishop sent off for an elbow on Fotheringham.
All the same, it was job done for Norwich, who now go into Thursday night's draw for the second round of the competition.
City boss Peter Grant named a strong side for the visit of League Two Barnet, with striker Jamie Cureton handed his homecoming debut.
Cureton was an unused substitute for the opening day 0-0 draw at Preston at the weekend, but was handed a start against the Bees alongside Chris Brown.
Julien Brellier was missing from the squad altogether - presumably rested - with Darel Russell and Mark Fotheringham making up the central midfield pairing in a 4-4-2 formation.
Lee Croft and Simon Lappin were tasked with patrolling the right and left flanks respectively, with the usual back five of Marshall, Drury, Shackell, Doherty and Otsemobor completing the side.
It was the home keeper Marshall who was tested first, having to turn away a low shot from Jason Puncheon away for a corner.
But from the resulting kick Norwich countered brilliantly and took the lead thanks to a swift breakaway.
Croft collected the ball inside his own half and sprinted clear down the right before finding Otsemobor on the overlap.
He took a touch before sending a cross towards the penalty spot where Cureton was lurking. And the striker produced an excellent volley to send the ball into the net via the outstretched glove of 'keeper Lee Harrison for his first City goal in 11 years.
It was the perfect way for Cureton to celebrate his return to the club where he began his career, taking just two minutes and one second of his 'debut' to make his mark.
Barnet went up the other end and caused a few moments of alarm in the City box without really testing Marshall before Norwich launched their next meaningful attack on eight minutes.
Fotheringham did well to win a 50-50 challenge 40 yards from his own goal before driving forward and driving a ball into the feet of Brown on the edge of the box. The big striker turned well, and although his shot was struck true, it was straight at Harrison.
The Canaries were looking good value in the final third of the pitch and it was no surprise when they doubled their lead on 16 minutes - with Cureton again proving his predatory instincts were alive and well.
Lappin swung a cross over to Brown in the box, who managed to get the slightest of flicks to divert it into the path of Croft away on the right corner of the area.
His low shot lacked pace and direction, but the Barnet defence got themselves into an almighty pickle, allowing Cureton to snaffle his second from no more than six yards out.
City were now rampant, and three minutes later only the bar denied Chris Brown a first goal at Carrow Road.
Cureton was the creator, showing good footwork and then vision to put his strike partner in the clear.
Brown himself showed good poise to skip round the despairing challenge of Harrison before pulling the ball onto his right foot. But with the goal at his mercy, Brown sent a shot over the head of a covering defender - but onto the top of the bar.
But the Canaries did not have to wait long for a third, and it arrived in spectacular style on 22 minutes.
There seemed little danger when Lappin collected the ball away on the left some 35 yards from goal. But with no Barnet defender closing him, the Scotsman drove forward before sending a rocket of a left-foot shot into the far top corner with Harrison clutching at thin air.
Lappin celebrates
It was proving to be an excellent display of attacking football by the Canaries, with their League Two opponents able to offer little in response.
City were rampant - and a fourth arrived on 25 minutes courtesy of Lappin's countryman Mark Fotheringham.
A corner from the right saw Shackell send in a header which was clawed off the line by Harrison. Cureton's rebound was blocked, but the ball fell to 'Fozzy' on the edge of the D.
And he took a touch to beat his man, before rifling a low shot into the bottom left corner for his first City goal. His celebrations in front of an ecstatic Barclay Stand showed how much it meant to him.
Goals were now coming thick and fast, with the fifth coming on the half hour mark.
With Cureton already celebrating his return to the Canaries with two goals, Darel Russell decided to mark his comeback with a strike against the beleaguered Bees.
Brown again made himself a nuisance, heading back across goal for Cureton to smash a shot against the legs of Harrison. It was a great stop by the veteran - a survivor of the last time Barnet faced City in the League Cup 10 years ago - but Russell followed up to blast into the net from close range.
Russell was on the scoresheet on his return to Carrow Road
It had been an amazing 30 minutes of football at Carrow Road, with the home support who braved the unseasonable weather treated to five goals.
It all proved too much for assistant referee Matt Stewart, who retired injured before the re-start and, after a lengthy stoppage, was replaced by fourth official Mike Bull.
When the game did get back underway it took a great point-blank save from Harrison to deny Cureton a first half hat-trick.
Otsemobor produced an excellent defence splitting pass for Croft down the right, and he in turn wasted no time in picking out Cureton with a low pass into the area.
With the goal at his mercy, Cureton smashed a low shot into the mid-rift of Harrison, with the 'keeper collecting the ball at the second attempt.
The faithful travelling support almost had a goal to cheer on 43 minutes when Anthony Thomas sent a header onto the cross bar from 12 yards out from Puncheon's cross.
With five minutes of stoppage time signalled following the change of official, Brown was booked after visiting skipper Sagi Burton was left with a wound to the face after a clash as the two challenged for a high ball.
Half time: Norwich City 5-0 Barnet
With the tie seemingly safe thanks to City's rampant first half, Grant opted for no changes at the break.
Likewise for the visitors, who would now presumably be looking to salvage some pride from the evening, with City's record 8-0 cup win over Sutton United in 1989 well within sight.
Again City found themselves on the front foot, with Russell lashing a 20-yard effort just wide inside the opening five minutes of the half.
Brown, hungry to get in on the action, then looped a header over the bar from Otsemobor's far post cross, before Barnet's Ian Hendon talked his way into the referee's notebook.
It was to be Brown's last effort of the night, with the former Sunderland man replaced by David Strihavka for his Carrow Road debut on 53 minutes.
To their credit, Barnet had looked a different proposition after the break, and their efforts were rewarded on 65 minutes when they grabbed a goal.City failed to clear their lines effectively, with a high ball dropping to the unmarked Puncheon just inside the box. He made no mistake, lashing a low volley into the bottom corner.
There were one or two late challenges flying in during the second half, and on 69 minutes Carew entered the notebook for a late tackle on Drury, which left the defender needing treatment from physio Neal Reynolds.
A minute later and the overworked Harrison was called into action again, this time getting down low to brilliantly tip Shackell's header round the post.
Cureton, sniffing his hat-trick, came close on 72 minutes, jinking past a couple of challenges inside the box before being denied by an outstretched boot as he looked to pull the trigger.
With Drury struggling after the earlier challenge, Grant took no risks with the defender, replacing him with Chris Martin.
This move saw Lappin move into the back four, with the teenage striker replacing him wide left.
On 75 minutes Barnet reduced the arrears further. Adam Birchall was given far too much space on the left side of the area, and he skipped inside a challenge from Doherty before sending a shot low into the net.
On the touchline City boss Grant looked far from happy with the way his team were capitulating in the second spell, and he responded by bringing on veteran striker Dion Dublin in place of Cureton, who would have to wait another day for the matchball.
All the same, he was awarded a standing ovation as he left the pitch. And rightly so.
With the game into the final 10 minutes, the Canaries seemed content to see the match out, with the result long since secured.
Barnet however were becoming increasingly physical, and on 86 minutes they were reduced to 10 men when Neal Bishop was given a straight red card for what looked to be an ugly elbow on Fotheringham.
Full time: Norwich City 5-2 Barnet
Norwich City: Marshall, Otsemobor, Drury (Martin 73), Shackell (c), Croft, Cureton (Dublin 79), Brown (Strihavka 53), Fotheringham, Lappin, Russell, Doherty. Subs: Gilks, Chadwick, Martin.
Barnet: Harrison, Devera, Nicolau, Bishop, Leary (Seanla 84), Thomas, Birchall, Puncheon, Carew, Burton (c), Hendon (Porter 59). Subs: Beckwith, Hatch, Cole.
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