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.
If you’re looking for more cake mix recipes, then 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 day to day 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 a banana 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.
How do you keep banana bread moist?
How much will this Cake Mix Banana Bread cost:
RECIPE COST: $2.59
PRICE PER SERVING: $0.16
- (1) 15.25 oz yellow cake mix – $1.00
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil – $0.12
- 3 large eggs – $0.30
- 1 1/2 cup mashed bananas – $0.96
- 1 teaspoon EBR vanilla extract – $0.17
- 4 teaspoons granulated sugar – $0.04
To find out more about how we price our recipes, check out Budget Recipes Explained.
How to Make Cake Mix Banana Bread Recipe:
STEP ONE: First, preheat oven to 350 degrees and then grease the pans with nonstick cooking spray.
STEP TWO: Secondly, make the batter and pour it into the pan. In addition to pouring it into the pan, be sure to smooth the batter into an even layer.
STEP THREE: Sprinkle the sugar evenly over the batter. After that, you are ready to bake it until a toothpick comes out clean.
STEP FOUR: Finally, allow the bread to cool for a bit before removing from the pans to cool completely. Slice and serve.
Cook’s Tools:
The flavor and Recipe Variations:
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.
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?!
In addition, 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 will 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 in the ingredients into the bowl.
Ages 4-5: Have your kiddo help mix the batter.
Ages 6-8: Let your kiddo help measure out the ingredients and mix it together.
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!
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
Cake Mix Banana Bread
Recipe Cost $2.59 Recipe Serving Cost $0.16Equipment
- 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
- 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)
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
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!
Cindy
I was looking for recipes to make for a picnic this weekend and I can’t wait to try this. tysm!
Jess Jankowski
Cindy, this Cake Mix Banana Bread is perfect for a picnic! Enjoy!
Lisalia
Yum! A delicious new way to make banana bread. It was so easy and turned out perfectly moist.
Jess Jankowski
Lisalia, we love that you now have a new way to make banana bread!
Calvin
Seems like an easy to make recipe, I love banana bread.
Jess Jankowski
It is so easy my kids can make it on their own!
NANCY
Sounds delicious! Like that it’s low cost & easy to make.
Jess Jankowski
It is so easy! Give it a try!
Ron Weinberg
There’s nothing like banana bread cake!
Jess Jankowski
It really hits the spot!