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Carter also weighed in with five conversions and three penalties as the Crusaders cemented their place at the top of the table with their second successive Super 14 victory.
Bulls fly half Derick Hougaard kept the hosts in the game with four first half penalties but a try from JP Nel in the second half was little more than a consolation in a one-sided contest.
Down 0-12 after 30 minutes and having barely seen the ball, the Crusaders stormed back to score 49 unanswered points in a magical seven tries-to one performance.
They simply ran the hosts off their feet with a highly skilled game played at speed, well and truly reversing the 12-27 loss they suffered to the Bulls in last year's semifinal at the same venue.
For the first 30 minutes it looked like history was set to repeat as Bulls first five-eighth Derick Hougaard -- who kicked all 27 points last year -- slotted four penalties.
His forward pack dominated possession and the Crusaders made a raft of errors as they tried to play expansively.
However, it suddenly clicked for the six-times champions, who crossed through second five-eighth Stephen Brett and halfback Andrew Ellis before the break.
Both tries were set up by neat passes from first five-eighth Daniel Carter to Brett, underlining what a potent attacking pairing the Crusaders have in those key playmaking positions.
Carter converted both tries and kicked a penalty to give his side a 17-12 lead at the break -- hardly a reflection of possession and territory at that stage.
However, it was all one-way traffic after halftime as the bigger Bulls fell off the pace.
Outstanding captain Richie McCaw burrowed over in the 50th minute and soon afterwards his opposite number Deon Stegmann was shown a yellow card for persistent offending.
During Stegmann's 10 minutes on the sideline, Carter landed two penalties and converted a try to winger Kade Poki, which gave the Crusaders a bonus point.
It was a personal triumph for the inexperienced Poki, who was identified by the Bulls as a possible weakness and peppered with high kicks in the early stages.
"I expected that that might happen but I thought I handled it okay. To come back and get that try, I was just stoked," Poki told NZPA.
"They were pretty tired in that second half, I think we showed in the end the way to play -- to move the ball around."
Reserve loose forward Nasi Manu bagged the next try from a charge down, followed up by a try to Carter when he forced the ball on to the goal post padding.
His conversion gave the star All Blacks playmaker 24 points before he was substituted as coach Robbie Deans cleared the reserve bench.
The Bulls snared their only try, through centre Nel, with five minutes to play but the visitors had the final say when fullback Leon MacDonald deftly controlled a bouncing ball with his foot to touch down.
The Crusaders take on the Stormers in round three next weekend while the Bulls face another tough challenge with the Sharks the visitors to Loftus Versfeld.
Bulls (12) 19
Try: Nel
Con: Steyn
Pen: Hougaard (4)
Crusaders (17) 54
Tries: Brett, Carter, Ellis, MacDonald, Manu, McCaw, Poki
Con: Carter (5)
Pen: Carter (3)
Bulls: Zane Kirchner, John Mametsa, JP Nel, Wynand Olivier, Marius Delport, Derick Hougaard, Fourie du Preez (captain), Pedrie Wannenburg, Wikus van Heerden, Deon Stegmann, Wilhelm Steenkamp, Danie Rossouw, Rayno Gerber, Derick Kuun, Gurthro Steenkamp. Reserves: James van der Walt, Werner Kruger, Jaco Engels, Dewald Potgieter, Heini Adams, Morne Steyn, Danwel Demas.
Crusaders: Leon MacDonald, Kade Poki, Casey Laulala, Stephen Brett, Scott Hamilton, Daniel Carter, Andrew Ellis, Mose Tuiali'i, Richie McCaw (captain), Kieran Read, Ali Williams, Brad Thorn, Greg Somerville, Corey Flynn, Ben Franks. Reserves: Ti'i Paulo, Wyatt Crockett, Reuben Thorne, Nasi Manu, Kahn Fotuali'i, Hamish Gard, Caleb Ralph.
