Cesar Azpilicueta gave Chelsea a first-half lead on the break from an Arsenal corner, latching on to Carl Jenkinson's poor header back and poking in.
Aaron Ramsey fired a shot wide from 25 yards as Arsenal struggled to get a grip on the game.
Mata sealed victory after the hour mark with a sweet strike from 20 yards.
The Spaniard, who made only his sixth start of the season, was the shining light in a one-sided game where Chelsea demonstrated their superior squad strength to earn their sixth successive triumph.
Both teams made multiple changes to their teams after the weekend's Premier League action, but Michael Essien and John Obi Mikel bossed midfield with a combination of guile and muscle while Willian and Samuel Eto'o were sharp in attack. cotinue reading
In a repeat of the 2007 League Cup final - which Chelsea also won - the result marked a second consecutive home defeat for Arsenal, the first time this has happened since February 2013, and reduces their chances of ending their eight-year trophy wait.
Although it was a largely second-string Gunners side, with Nicklas Bendtner poor up front, the defeat was a worrying sign ahead of a tough run of games that include Liverpool, Borussia Dortmund and Manchester United.
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, who kept only Gary Cahill in the side following victory over Manchester City on Sunday, rarely had reason to be concerned in what was his first match against Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger since May 2007.
Although the visitors only led by Azpilicueta's goal at the break, they enjoyed the majority of possession, were quick to close down and more composed on the ball.
By contrast, Arsenal were laboured and not helped by lone forward Bendtner, who struggled to hold the ball up in his second start of the season.culled from the BBC
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