Cake Mix Banana Bread is so simple to make with pantry ingredients. This easy banana bread recipe is always a family favorite!
The Easiest Banana Bread
This cake mix banana bread is incredibly moist, fluffy, and delicious. It always disappears fast in my house!
If you have a box of cake mix in your pantry and some ripe bananas calling your name, this is the perfect recipe for you.
I am no stranger to cake mix recipes, I love them for a shortcut to delicious baked goods! This banana bread is simple, only a few ingredients, and guaranteed to be a family favorite.
“I’ve tried a lot of Banana bread recipes but this is the easiest and most enjoyable one yet, thanks for the recipe. I’m going in the kitchen right now and make another one.” -Reader review
You can find the full recipe and instructions at the bottom of this post, but here are the ingredients that you will need to make it.
Ingredients needed
Cake mix: I used yellow cake mix, but you can use any flavor you want.
Eggs
Vanilla extract
Cinnamon
Bananas: the riper the better! Brown spotted bananas are best for baking banana bread.
Oil: you can use olive oil, vegetable oil, or melted butter.
How to make cake mix banana bread
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Step 1: Mash the bananas well until no chunks remain. Add your yellow cake mix, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, mashed overripe bananas, and oil to a large bowl. Mix well to combine.
Step 2: Spray a loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and pour the banana bread batter in, smoothing out the top.
Step 3: Bake the banana bread at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Be sure to allow loaf to cool completely before cutting it. This might be the hardest part, because the scent of fresh baked banana bread is irresistible!
Can I use other flavors of cake mix?
Yes you can! Try changing up this recipe up by using chocolate cake mix, butter pecan cake mix, white cake mix, or spice cake mix.
You may want to adjust the spices if you change the cake mix flavor.
Mix-in ideas
Chocolate chips: Craving chocolate chip banana bread? Add in 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips into the batter before baking.
Peanut butter chips
Butterscotch chips
Walnuts or pecans: to make this a banana nut bread.
Do I have to add vanilla and cinnamon?
No you do not, I just love adding that classic cinnamon hint for my banana bread, but it would be delicious without it too!
Can I make these into muffins?
Yes, just divide the batter equally into greased muffin tins instead. Bake the banana muffins at 350 for 18-23 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
This recipe creates super fluffy, sweet, perfect banana bread. Adding bananas to cake mix can be a great way to use up ingredients you already have on hand and make a delicious treat!
Mash those overripe bananas up, add in your cake mix, eggs, oil, and spices and you are ready to go. Simple, foolproof, and a family favorite. Honestly, this couldn’t be any easier!
One reader said this and I have to agree! “This truly was the best banana bread I’ve EVER had. It didn’t make it to the cooling rack before my kids ate the whole loaf. It’s on repeat. 5⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐”
How to Store
In the refrigerator: You can store leftover cake mix banana bread in the refrigerator for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
Freezing banana bread for later: To freeze this loaf for later, allow it to cool completely, then place in an airtight freezer bag. You can also freeze individual slices wrapped each in cling wrap, then store in an airtight container in the freezer for around a month.
“This was the best banana bread I’ve ever tasted! It had the best flavor, and texture of any banana bread I’ve ever eaten. Everyone in my house loved it. One loaf doesn’t last but a day, maybe two in our house.”
Add the yellow cake mix, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, mashed bananas, and oil to a large bowl. Mix well to combine.
Spray a loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and pour the banana bread batter in, smoothing out the top.
Bake the banana bread at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Allow the banana bread to cool completely before cutting.
Notes
You can substitute the oil for melted butter.Make it your own! Mix in whatever you like from chopped nuts to chocolate chips, or use chocolate cake mix to make chocolate banana bread.
@Donitta, hi how much almonds did you add to the mix? Is it ground almonds? I’m looking for a yellow cake mix recipe with ground almonds. Thank you for the help
Yvette
Make this exactly according to your recipe using melted butter and the Banana Bread turned out perfectly delicious. This was an easy peasy recipe to make my busy lifestyle easier. Your recipe will be my go to recipe from now on. Thank you for sharing.
I have tried your Cake mix cookie bars and they were wonderful! What I’m wanting to do now is cross your cake mix banana bread recipe with that one, so that essentially I would end up with Banana bread [chocolate chip] cookie bars. Would that work? And if so, what size pan would I use, as the cookie bars were made in a 9×13 dish.
Thank you!
That sounds like a great idea! I’m not sure what size dish would matter, just in that the bars would be thinner in a larger baking dish, and thicker in a smaller one, which would affect cooking time. Let me know if you try it, sounds delicious!
Can I use a sugar free cake mix?
Soooo I added an egg yolk to it and 5 tbsp of softened butter cross fingers it’s ok….
I added almonds to my banana bread and it was delicious!! Thanks for sharing this easy recipe !!!
@Donitta, hi how much almonds did you add to the mix? Is it ground almonds? I’m looking for a yellow cake mix recipe with ground almonds. Thank you for the help
Yvette
This is such an easy simple recipe and it’s delicious!! I added walnuts and it turned out great. Thanks for sharing.
Make this exactly according to your recipe using melted butter and the Banana Bread turned out perfectly delicious. This was an easy peasy recipe to make my busy lifestyle easier. Your recipe will be my go to recipe from now on. Thank you for sharing.
What size loaf pan do you use???
Standard size loaf pan.
Loved this one!! I put in walnuts and it was fabulous.
Great idea! So glad you enjoyed the banana bread 🙂
Do you know if you need to adjust fro altitude?
I have tried your Cake mix cookie bars and they were wonderful! What I’m wanting to do now is cross your cake mix banana bread recipe with that one, so that essentially I would end up with Banana bread [chocolate chip] cookie bars. Would that work? And if so, what size pan would I use, as the cookie bars were made in a 9×13 dish.
Thank you!
That sounds like a great idea! I’m not sure what size dish would matter, just in that the bars would be thinner in a larger baking dish, and thicker in a smaller one, which would affect cooking time. Let me know if you try it, sounds delicious!
Why do you prefer olive oil? Does it change the taste?
I just use it since it is what I have on hand and use in most every recipe. I don’t buy or use vegetable oil. You won’t notice any taste difference!