This easy banana bread recipe makes moist and fluffy bread with only 5 ingredients. Using cake mix as a base, this simple loaf is always such a hit with everyone!
Simple Banana Bread Made with Cake Mix
Banana bread is a classic recipe for a reason – who doesn’t love a moist and fluffy slice of quick bread that also lets you use up ripe bananas?
Although traditional banana bread is easy to make, today we’re making it even simpler by using cake mix. The end result is a 5-ingredient banana bread that tastes like a cross between a quick bread and banana cake. You can serve thick slices warm from the oven smothered with butter or honey. I’ve also been known to grill banana bread in a frying pan and top it with ice cream!
What You’ll Need
You will only need 5 ingredients for this recipe. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for specific amounts.
- Bananas – Use very ripe bananas for this bread. The browner the better!
- Eggs
- Butter or oil – I recommend vegetable oil or unsalted butter
- Vanilla cake mix
- Baking soda
How Do You Ripen Bananas Fast?
There are a few ways to ripen bananas fast.
- You can add the bananas into a bag with a very ripe banana or apple.
- Bake unripened bananas on a foil-lined baking sheet for 15-20 minutes.
Can I Add Nuts to This Recipe?
While this recipe doesn’t include nuts, oftentimes, people like to add walnuts to the banana bread. This tastes amazing and you can certainly add it to this recipe or you can use it to top the bread as well. Chop up the nuts so that you don’t have huge pieces in the batter. I’d recommend about 1/2 cup of nuts.
How to Make Banana Bread with Cake Mix
Now that you’ve gathered your ingredients, it’s time to start baking! Here’s how to make this bread:
Preheat oven to 350F and generously butter (or coat with cooking spray) a loaf pan. Set the pan aside until the batter is done.
Using a medium bowl, mash the bananas. Add in the eggs and melted butter or oil.
In another bowl, add the cake mix and the baking soda.
Add half the mashed banana to the cake mix and beat with a mixer. Then add the rest of the banana, mixing completely. This will add air and fluffiness to the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the center of the oven for 35 to 40 minutes.
- The bread is done when a butter knife or long toothpick is inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean.
- Once baked through set on a rack to cool completely before cutting into it.
Serving Suggestions
Banana bread can be eaten on its own, but you can also serve slices with butter, jam, or honey.
As I mentioned above, you can also do fun things with this cake mix banana bread like lightly frying it in a pan with a bit of butter, then serving it with ice cream and whipped cream. During the summer months, you can grill banana bread instead of frying it in a pan.
How to Store
- Counter: Let your bread come to room temperature, then cover it with saran wrap or cut into slices and store in an airtight container. It will keep on the counter for up to 4 days.
- Fridge: You can extend the shelf life of your bread by storing it in an airtight container in the fridge. It will keep in the fridge for up to 7 days.
Although you can store sliced banana bread, I usually store it as a whole loaf and just slice off pieces when I want to eat them. This prevents the bread from drying out too quickly.
Can I Freeze This?
Yes, this bread freezes well! Let it come to room temperature, then wrap it in a couple layers of saran wrap before placing it in an air-tight, freezer-safe container or Ziploc bag. You can store the bread in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you are ready to eat it, simply thaw overnight in the fridge or on the counter for a few hours.
More Quick Bread Recipes to Try
- Japanese Milk Bread
- Incredibly Moist Pumpkin Bread
- Cranberry Lemon Zucchini Bread
- Jalapeno Cheddar Bread
- Carrot Cake Loaf
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread
Easy Cake Mix Banana Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups bananas mashed about 3 medium or 9.6 oz
- 2 eggs
- 3 Tablespoons butter or oil if using butter measure after melting
- 16.25 ounces vanilla cake mix
- 1 Teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F, generously butter a loaf pan and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, mash the bananas the mix in the eggs and the melted butter or oil. In a large bowl pour mix the cake mix and the baking soda.
- Pour half of the mashed banana into the cake mix then use a hand mixer to mix for a few minutes, then pour in the remaining of the mashed banana mix and mix until you have a batter that’s thoroughly combined and has a bit of air and fluffiness to it.
- Pour the batter into the buttered pan then place in center of the oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until you can insert a butter knife or long toothpick into the center of the bread and it comes out clean.
- Keep an eye on it around the 30 minutes because everyone’s ovens is different, insert the knife to check and after every 5 minutes check again until it comes clean. My oven took about 38 minutes. Once baked through set on a rack to cool completely before cutting into.
Nutrition
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2 comments on “Easy Banana Bread (Cake Mix Recipe!)”
This recipe sounds great. Who makes the Vanilla cake mix. Maybe Pillsbury??? Can a yellow cake mix be used instead??? Thank you so nuch for all your great recipes.
Hi Andrea, a yellow cake will work just fine.