Cake Mix Banana Bread Recipe

By
Kristina Vanni
Kristina Vanni
Kristina Vanni
An internationally recognized culinary authority, Kristina Vanni is well-known for her recipe development, food photography, and experience as a TV show host.
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Updated on 05/23/22
Cake Mix Banana Bread

The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 55 mins
Total: 60 mins
Servings: 8 slices
Yield: 1 loaf

A perfect loaf of banana bread is only four ingredients away! It is possible to bake up a beautiful loaf of banana bread just by jazzing up a box of your favorite cake mix. Simply combine a box of cake mix with oil, eggs, and mashed bananas. That's it! Of course, once you have mastered the basic version of cake mix banana bread, it is fun to play with with flavors and mix-ins to create a wide variety of flavorful quick breads.

Ingredients

  • Cooking spray

  • 1 (15 1/4-ounce) box yellow cake mix

  • 1/3 cup canola oil

  • 3 large eggs

  • 1 1/2 cups very ripe mashed bananas (about 3 to 4 medium bananas)

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 9 x 5-inch bread loaf pan and set aside.

    Cake Mix Banana Bread
     Kristina Vanni

  2. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix with oil, eggs, and mashed ripe bananas until smooth.

    Cake Mix Banana Bread
     Kristina Vanni

  3. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.

    Cake Mix Banana Bread
     Kristina Vanni

  4. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes.

    Cake Mix Banana Bread
     Kristina Vanni

  5. Loosen the sides of the pan with a knife and then remove the banana bread from the pan. Cool completely before slicing with a serrated knife, using a light sawing motion.

    Cake Mix Banana Bread
     Kristina Vanni

  6. This banana bread tastes even better the next day. Store the loaf tightly wrapped overnight, then slice and serve in the morning. If you can wait, it’s worth it!

Recipe Variations

This basic recipe can be transformed into a variety of different flavorful banana breads with a few simple variations.

  • Chocolate Chip Banana Bread: Add a bag of semisweet chocolate chips into the batter
  • Double Chocolate Banana Bread: Use chocolate cake mix and mix in a bag of semisweet chocolate chips.
  • Banana Split Banana Bread: Add a jar of halved maraschino cherries and 1/2 cup of chopped almonds into the batter. Serve each slice with a drizzle of hot fudge sauce and a scoop of ice cream.
  • Butterscotch Banana Bread: Add a bag of butterscotch chips into the batter.
  • Cinnamon-Sugar Banana Bread: Use a box of white cake mix and then sprinkle 2 tablespoons of cinnamon-sugar over the batter before baking.
  • Strawberry Banana Bread: Use a strawberry cake mix and mix in 1 cup of chopped fresh strawberries.
  • Hawaiian Banana Bread: Use a white cake mix and mix in 1 cup of chopped macadamia nuts and 1 cup of shredded coconut.
  • Spiced Cream Cheese Swirl Banana Bread: Use a box of spice cake mix. Combine 1 package of softened cream cheese with 1 egg and 1/2 cup of sugar. Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan and then top with the cream cheese filling. Pour the remaining batter on top and swirl gently with a knife.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
346 Calories
13g Fat
54g Carbs
5g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 346
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 13g 16%
Saturated Fat 2g 11%
Cholesterol 70mg 23%
Sodium 420mg 18%
Total Carbohydrate 54g 20%
Dietary Fiber 2g 6%
Total Sugars 29g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 4mg 18%
Calcium 127mg 10%
Iron 2mg 9%
Potassium 202mg 4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)