If you love a delicious and easy banana bread recipe that’s both simple and tasty, this is the post for you!
It All Starts with a Box!
Here at Out of the Box Baking we’re all about starting with a box of cake mix. (Hey, it’s in our name! We love simple recipes that start with a box of your favorite cake mix, whatever that might be!)
You’ll have the same delicious flavor you’ve come to expect from a homemade banana bread, but this one is so much easier to make and calls for fewer ingredients. If you like a moist banana bread recipe, this is the one for you!
You can dress this recipe up any number of ways. Take a peek at my suggestions further down in the post. I made mine with miniature chocolate chips but you can use whatever mix-ins you like. Regardless, I think you'll agree that this is the best banana bread from a cake mix you'll find!
What Type of Bananas Should I Use?
It’s important that you use overripe bananas for this recipe. There are two reasons for this:
- Over-ripe bananas have an added sweetness you don’t find in yellow bananas. As they peels become more speckled, the banana fruit inside becomes sweeter and sweeter.
- Over-ripe bananas are soft and easy to mash. I suggest mashing them as you start this recipe.
I used three bananas in my recipe but you can use up to four, depending on their size. Just make sure you use at least three to add that rich banana flavor.
Cake Mix Banana Bread Ingredients
You will find a full printable recipe card at the bottom of this post but here’s a peek at what you’ll need. These are such simple ingredients. You might already have them on hand in your pantry or refrigerator.
- 1 yellow cake mix
- ½ cup room temperature butter
- 3 large eggs
- 3 overripe bananas
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips
- ¼ cup powdered sugar (for sprinkling)
How to Make Cake Mix Banana Bread
Prep a loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. If you like, you can add a piece of parchment paper for easy lifting.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Mash bananas in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment.
Add other wet ingredients and mix well.
Stir in the cake mix until fully incorporated.
Add chocolate chips, being careful not to over mix. Scoop the banana bread batter into the prepared loaf pan.
Place in preheated oven and bake for 60 minutes (a full hour) or until a toothpick comes out clean. (I placed a loose piece of foil over mine at the 45-minute mark to keep it from getting too dark.)
Place on wire rack to cool.
When you can safely handle the pan, turn out the loaf directly onto the wire rack to continue cooling.
If you like, sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Slice and serve!
You can store this bread at room temperature tightly covered in plastic wrap or in an airtight container. It should stay good for 2 - 3 days. You can refrigerate for 4 - 5 days. This bread freezes well, up to two month in a freezer bag. For best results, allow to thaw naturally before serving.
What to Expect from this Bread
What a delicious treat. . .and such an easy recipe!
I wasn’t really sure if this would taste more like banana bread or a cake. It’s the perfect combination of both! Because this recipe doesn’t call for any liquid, (like a usually cake mix would) it’s night light and fluffy. It’s got the texture of a delicious banana bread.
And those chocolate chips! I used minis but you can use larger ones if you like. Just be sure to coat in flour before adding the larger ones so they don’t sink to the bottom of the pan.
I love to add butter to my bread. It's delicious as it melts on the warm slice. Yum! All in all, this is a great recipe and super simple to make! And remember, lots of people love chocolate chip banana bread, so this one is sure to be a crowd pleaser.
Your guests are going to eat this one up. . .literally! You can serve it as a dessert, a breakfast cake, or an afternoon snack. No matter when you slice it up, you’re going to love it!
Variations on this Recipe
Cake mix recipes are the best! I love them because they're simple and quick. If you like this one, you might want to discover some other ways to make it. Here are my top suggestions:
Pecans or Walnuts: you can easily add a full cup of chopped nuts to this recipe for more crunch.
Butter Pecan Cake Mix: I mean....wow! What amazing flavors this banana bread would have, right?
Coconut: I don’t know about you but I love coconut in my banana bread. I used it in my Banana Bread Maui recipe.
Brown Butter: You can use half a cup of browned butter to add depth of flavor.
½ cup brown sugar. This will add additional sweetness and depth of flavor.
Spice cake mix: This would really be delicious! You can even turn it into pumpkin banana bread by adding some pumpkin puree.
Chocolate cake mix: I have a delicious recipe for chocolate banana bread and it's divine!
Berries in place of chocolate: blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, or strawberries. No matter what you choose, it’s going to be delicious!
Muffins! Use your favorite muffin tin to make delicious and simple banana muffins. Yum!
Bundt pan: You can easily make this bread in a bundt pan. Just prepare it with nonstick spray first.
Other Banana Favorites from Out of the Box Baking
Gluten-Free Banana Nut Muffins: If you’re living the gluten-free lifestyle but you love a delicious banana muffin, this is the post for you! I’m going to show you how to make a muffin so tasty, and so simple that you won’t need to pull out the mixer! This is the quickest and easiest way to satisfy that sweet tooth, even if you're gluten-free!
Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins: If you love a rich banana muffin loaded with chocolate flavor, I’ve got a treat for you. These delicious muffins are easy to make and packed full of flavor! The whole family will love these!
Caramel Pecan Banana Bread: If you love a delicious banana bread but need one that comes together in a jiffy, have I got the perfect recipe for you! In this post I’m going to show you how to make a simple but delicious caramel pecan banana bread that starts with a box of cake mix.
Cranberry Banana Bread: If you’re looking for a rich, moist loaf of banana bread with the tartness of cranberries have I got a treat for you! This simple recipe is loaded with texture and flavor, and made with a secret ingredient. . .mayonnaise!
Banana Blueberry Loaf with Streusel Topping: If you’ve looking for a terrific recipe to use up those over ripe bananas, I’ve got the perfect one for you! This banana loaf pairs blueberries and bananas and adds a simple streusel topping that’s sure to please!
That’s it for this post, friends! I hope you enjoyed this delicious cake mix banana bread recipe.
If you make this recipe and love it, don’t forget to leave a review and a comment below. And while you're at it, go ahead and pin some photos to your Pinterest boards!
Follow me on social media!
Cake Mix Banana Bread
If you love a delicious banana bread and you want a recipe that’s both simple and tasty, this is the recipe for you!
Ingredients
- 1 yellow cake mix
- ½ cup room temperature butter
- 3 large eggs
- 3 overripe bananas
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips
- ¼ cup powdered sugar (for sprinkling)
Instructions
Prep a loaf pan with nonstick baking spray.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Mash bananas in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment.
Add other wet ingredients and mix well.
Stir in the cake mix until fully incorporated.
Add chocolate chips, being careful not to over mix.
Scoop batter into prepared loaf pan.
Place in preheated oven and bake for 60 minutes (a full hour) or until a toothpick comes out clean. (I placed a loose piece of foil over mine at the 45-minute mark.)
Place on wire rack to cool.
When you can safely handle the pan, turn out the loaf directly onto the wire rack to continue cooling.
If you like, sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Slice and serve!
You can store this bread at room temperature tightly covered in plastic wrap or in an airtight container. It should stay good for 2 - 3 days. You can refrigerate for 4 - 5 days. This bread freezes well, up to two month in a freezer bag. Allow to thaw naturally before serving.