Cake Mix Banana Bread

This Cake Mix Banana Bread recipe is easy to make and has the perfect crumb. This recipe will work in two bread pans, four mini pans, or even a bundt pan!

This recipe has just six ingredients: cake mix, vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla, and sugar. It serves 16 and costs $2.59 to make. That’s just 16¢ per serving!

Cake Mix Banana Bread is perfect for baking for your family or wrapping up and delivering to a friend in need or as a neighbor gift during the holidays. Check out the picture before the recipe card for wrapping inspiration. 

If you’re looking for more cake mix recipes, we recommend our Cake Mix Peach Cobbler, 4th of July Poke Cake, or Death by Chocolate Poke Cake. 

Cake Mix Banana Bread

Find someone who doesn’t love banana bread. Nearly impossible, right? Now find us someone who has lots of time to spend baking banana bread. Just as impossible, right?!

No matter what stage of life we’re currently in, we are all busy with our daily activities. We have a trick that gives you that “made from scratch” taste that we all crave without all the work of making it from scratch. 

Have you guessed the secret trick to this recipe yet? Yep, we are making banana bread using a yellow cake mix!

What!? Yes, it is true. That’s the big secret.

Everyone will think you spent hours making this when it is just a few minutes of prep work. Let the cake mix do all the hard work for you. This bread is excellent for gifting during the holiday season for precisely this reason.

Banana bread made with a cake mix is the easiest cooking hack to save you time. You can serve it with breakfast, brunch, or as a snack.

What can I use if I don’t have a loaf pan for banana bread?

No need to worry! We’ve got you covered. We are sharing three different ways to make this recipe. You can use mini loaf pans or even a bundt pan! Just follow the instructions in the recipe below. 

Can bananas be too ripe for banana bread?

Once your banana is pale, soft, and brown, it is too ripe to eat. No one likes a mushy banana!

The only time a mushy banana is acceptable is when it is in bread. Banana bread loves soft bananas. They are perfect.

However, if your banana is black, then that is no Bueno.

A black banana is way too ripe for even banana bread and should be put in the trash. Freeze those ripe bananas to use later if you do not have time to make banana bread once they turn brown. This way, you will never waste a banana again. 

What can I add to banana bread mix?

You can easily make some adjustments to this recipe to change up the flavor just a bit. For instance, try adding some fresh fruit on top, such as blueberries, banana slices, or strawberries. You can also add different nuts or chocolate chips to the batter.

Another idea is to substitute the cake mix flavor. A chocolate cake mix would be super tasty. Or oooh, what about a butter pecan cake mix?!

It also works to add some frosting on top. We recommend the Peanut Butter Frosting from our Chocolate Wacky Cake. 

How long is this good for:

Serve: You can keep the bread out for about 4 hours before you need to cover it in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container. 

Store: Store the bread at room temperature in plastic wrap, Ziploc bags, or in an airtight container for 3-5 days. 

Freeze: Wrap the bread in 2 layers of plastic wrap or one layer of foil and then in a freezer-safe bag. You can freeze the bread for up to 6 months this way. 

How to get the kids involved with this recipe:

Ages 2-3: Let them help you pour the ingredients into the bowl. They will love being able to mash up the bananas.

Ages 4-5: Have your kiddo help mix the batter. There are not many ingredients, so this will be pretty easy. 

Ages 6-8: Let your kiddo help measure out the ingredients and mix them. This is a great recipe for them to attempt on their own with you close by for assistance. 

Ages 9-11: Supervise them while they prepare the entire recipe. Remember to have them read it twice before beginning the recipe. 

Ages 12+: Let them prepare the entire recipe, unsupervised, while you do the happy dance in the corner! Also, let them help you package the banana bread for gifting to neighbors or teachers! See the pictures below for how to easily wrap the loaves for gifting! 

All you need for wrapping these loaves for gifting is plastic wrap, parchment paper, and festive ribbon. 

More $5 Recipes:

• 1 Hour French Bread
• Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots
• Buttermilk Sheet Pan Pancakes
• Chick-Fil-A Copycat Frosted Lemonade
• Chocolate Wacky Cake
• Corn Muffins
• Crock Pot Greek Yogurt
• Eggs Benedict Breakfast Braid
• English Muffin Pizzas
• Grilled Potatoes in Foil
• Instant Pot Refried Beans
• Mango Banana Smoothie
• Panda Express Chow Mein
• Quick Monkey Bread from Scratch
• Red Velvet Buttermilk Waffles

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Cake Mix Banana Bread

Recipe Cost 2.59

Serving Cost 0.16

Course Bread

Cuisine American

This Cake Mix Banana Bread recipe is easy to make and has the perfect crumb. This recipe will work in two bread pans, four mini pans, or even a bundt pan!

Servings: 16 people

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 45 mins

Total Time 2 hrs 50 mins

Equipment

• cooling rack
• mixing bowl
• wire whisk
• measuring cups
• Measuring spoons
• 8x4-inch loaf pans OR bundt pan OR mini bread pans
• spatula
• bread knife

Ingredients

 

1x2x3x

• 15.25 ounces yellow cake mix
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs
• 1 ½ cup mashed bananas about 3-4 bananas
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 teaspoons granulated sugar

MIX INS: (both optional)

• 2 cups chocolate chips mini or regular
• 1 cup nuts toasted and chopped (walnuts or pecans)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

PREPARE OVEN AND PANS:

• Move oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 8x4-inch bread pans with nonstick cooking spray. (Alternatively, grease a bundt pan or four mini bread pans, about 5 ½ x 3 ½-inch, if using).
  

MAKE BATTER:

• In a large bowl add cake mix, oil, eggs, bananas, and vanilla. Fold in any optional mix-ins at this time.
• Whisk until just combined and no flour pockets remain.

POUR INTO PANS:

• Split the batter evenly between the two loaf pans (Or the 4 mini bread pans or the bundt pan if using). Smooth batter into an even layer.
• Sprinkle the sugar evenly over the loaf pans (or bunt pan if using).

BAKE:

• Bake the two 8x4-inch loaves for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Bake the 4 mini loaves for 20-25 minutes. Bake the bundt pan for 50-60 minutes.

COOL:

• Move bread pans to a wire rack and let them cool for 20 minutes. Then, remove the bread from the pans and cool completely, about 1 ½ - 2 hours.
• The four mini loaves will need to cool 10 minutes in the pans, and then 45-60 minutes outside of the pans before slicing and serving.
• The bundt cake loaf will need to cool for 30 minutes in the pan, and then two hours outside of the pan before slicing and serving.

SERVE:

• Slice and serve! Or wrap in plastic wrap and ribbon for gifting.
  

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 219kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 211mg | Potassium: 155mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 64IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 1mg

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This Cake Mix Banana Bread recipe is easy to make and has the perfect crumb. This recipe will work in two bread pans, four mini pans, or even a bundt pan!