Easy Butter Pecan Banana Bread (Cake Mix Recipe)

Easy Butter Pecan Banana Bread starts with a boxed cake mix, ripe bananas, and chopped pecans. Moist, fluffy, and baked in a Bundt pan!

If you've got a few overripe bananas sitting on your counter and a box of butter pecan cake mix in the pantry, you're going to love this easy recipe! This Butter Pecan Banana Bread is light, fluffy, loaded with pecans, and packed with buttery flavor. Best of all, it comes together in minutes!

A Delicious Way to Use Up Overripe Bananas

I don't know about you, but I always seem to have a few bananas hanging around that need to be used before they go bad.

That's exactly what happened this week. I had several overripe bananas sitting on my counter, and I knew I needed to do something with them.

Now, I've made more than my fair share of banana breads over the years. I've made them from scratch, with chocolate chips, with nuts, and even with boxed cake mixes.

In fact, I love using cake mixes to make quick breads. They're such a terrific shortcut, and you can get some really interesting flavor combinations without a lot of extra work.

So, when I started looking through my collection of cake mixes, one particular box caught my eye.

Butter pecan.

Hmm.

Now, wouldn't that be good with bananas?

I decided there was only one way to find out!

Butter Pecan and Bananas? Yes, Please!

I've made banana bread with yellow cake mix before, and I've even used Dolly Parton's banana cake mix to make a delicious loaf.

But butter pecan? That was something new.

I figured the buttery flavor of the cake mix would pair beautifully with the natural sweetness of the bananas. And since I had chopped pecans on hand, I decided to toss those in, too.

I kept the recipe simple, using the same basic ingredients I've used in other cake mix banana breads.

The only real difference was the flavor of the cake mix and my choice of pan.

Instead of baking this one in a loaf pan, I decided to pull out my Bundt pan.

And I'm so glad I did!

What Makes This Butter Pecan Banana Bread Special?

First of all, let's talk about the texture.

Most folks think of banana bread as something fairly dense and heavy. And there's certainly nothing wrong with that! I love a good, moist loaf of traditional banana bread.

But this one surprised me.

It came out light, fluffy, and almost cake-like, with a beautiful golden crust and a tender crumb.

And the butter pecan flavor?

Oh, my goodness.

It really came shining through!

Sometimes bananas can overpower the other flavors in a recipe, but that wasn't the case here. The banana and butter pecan flavors complemented each other beautifully.

The chopped pecans added just enough texture, and a simple dusting of powdered sugar finished everything off.

No frosting. No complicated glaze. Just a lovely homemade treat that looked as good as it tasted.

Ingredients You'll Need

You won't believe how simple this one is! You'll find the full printable recipe card at the bottom of this post, but here's a quick peek at what you'll need.

• 1 box butter pecan cake mix (13.25 ounces)
• ½ cup butter, softened or melted and slightly cooled
• 3 large eggs
• 3 overripe bananas, mashed
• ½ cup chopped pecans
• Powdered sugar for dusting

That's it!

You don't need the oil or water listed on the cake mix box. The bananas, butter, and eggs provide the moisture this recipe needs.

A quick note about the cake mix: I used Betty Crocker Butter Pecan Cake Mix, but you can use another brand if you find one. Just keep in mind that cake mix package sizes can vary.

How to Make Butter Pecan Banana Bread

This recipe comes together quickly, making it perfect for those days when you've got bananas that need to be used right away.

Prepare Your Pan and Oven

Preheat your oven to 350°F.

Grease your Bundt pan thoroughly, making sure to get into all those little grooves. You can also lightly flour the pan to help the bread release.

Mix the Wet Ingredients

Place your peeled bananas in a large mixing bowl.

Add the eggs and butter, then mix until the bananas are mashed and everything is combined.

Don't worry if you still see a few small pieces of banana. Those little bits add flavor and moisture to the finished bread.

Add the Cake Mix

Pour in the dry butter pecan cake mix.

Mix until everything comes together, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

The batter will be thicker than traditional cake batter, and that's exactly what you want.

Fold in the Pecans

Add the chopped pecans and gently fold them into the batter.

You want those lovely little bits of pecan distributed throughout the bread.

Fill the Bundt Pan

Spoon the batter into your prepared Bundt pan and spread it evenly.

Give the pan a gentle tap on the counter to help settle the batter.

Bake

Place the pan in your preheated 350°F oven and bake for 35–40 minutes.

Start checking around the 35-minute mark. A toothpick or cake tester inserted into the thickest part should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

Cool and Remove from Pan

Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire cooling rack.

Allow the bread to cool in the pan for about 10–15 minutes before carefully turning it out onto the rack.

Let it cool before adding the powdered sugar.

Add the Finishing Touch

Once the bread has cooled, dust the top with powdered sugar.

That's all it needs!

Slice, serve, and enjoy!

How Did This Butter Pecan Banana Bread Turn Out?

I'll admit, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect from this experiment.

I knew the ingredients should work together, but I wasn't sure whether the butter pecan flavor would be strong enough to stand up to the bananas.

Well, let me tell you something.

It was delicious!

The outside had a lovely golden crust, while the inside was surprisingly light and fluffy.

The pecans added a little crunch, and the banana flavor was present without taking over.

In fact, the texture reminded me more of a tender Bundt cake than a traditional heavy banana bread.

But I'm still calling it banana bread, because that's exactly what I set out to make!

And I wouldn't change a thing.

A Little Something for a Friend

As it happened, a friend of mine was stopping by that day to pick up some Reese's Pieces Brookies I'd made.

She had out-of-town company coming to stay for a few days, and I wanted to send along a few treats so she'd have something sweet to offer her guests.

Well, I certainly didn't need an entire Bundt cake sitting around my house, tempting me every time I walked through the kitchen!

So, I sliced up the Butter Pecan Banana Bread and sent it home with her, too.

Later, I found out her guests loved it!

There's something awfully satisfying about trying a new recipe, discovering it's a keeper, and getting to share it with people who appreciate a homemade treat.

That's one of my favorite things about baking.

Variations on This Recipe

One of the best things about cake mix banana bread is how easy it is to change things up.

Chocolate Chips: Add ½ cup of mini chocolate chips for a little extra sweetness.

Walnuts: Substitute chopped walnuts for the pecans if that's what you have on hand.

Cinnamon: Add ½ teaspoon of cinnamon for a warmer flavor.

Brown Sugar Glaze: Drizzle the cooled bread with a simple brown sugar glaze for a more decadent dessert.

Loaf Pan Version: You can also make this recipe in a loaf pan, though the baking time may be longer. Begin checking around 40–45 minutes and continue baking until the center is done.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a different flavor of cake mix?

Absolutely! Yellow cake mix, spice cake mix, and even banana cake mix are great options for banana bread. Each one brings something different to the recipe.

Do I need to add the ingredients listed on the cake mix box?

No. For this recipe, you'll use the cake mix as a dry ingredient and add the bananas, eggs, and butter listed in the recipe.

Can I use frozen bananas?

Yes! Thaw them first and use the bananas along with their released juices. If they're especially watery, you may need to drain off a little excess liquid.

Why is my banana bread so fluffy?

The cake mix contains leavening ingredients that help create a lighter texture. Combined with the eggs and bananas, they produce a tender, almost cake-like crumb.

Can I make this without nuts?

Of course! Just leave out the chopped pecans. You'll still get plenty of butter pecan flavor from the cake mix itself.

How should I store this banana bread?

Keep the cooled bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days, or refrigerate it for up to five days.

You can also freeze individual slices for up to three months.

Can I bake this in a regular loaf pan?

Yes. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and fill it no more than about two-thirds full. Bake at 350°F, beginning to check around 40–45 minutes. The exact baking time will depend on the pan and amount of batter.

More Cake Mix Quick Bread Recipes

If you love baking with boxed cake mixes as much as I do, you'll want to check out my How to Turn a Boxed Cake Mix Into Quick Bread guide.

It's filled with tips, tricks, and ideas for transforming an ordinary cake mix into something extraordinary.

And if you're a banana bread lover, be sure to look for my other cake mix banana bread recipes, too. They're proof that a humble box of cake mix can become something pretty special with just a few simple additions.

Thanks for Stopping By!

I hope you'll give this easy Butter Pecan Banana Bread a try the next time you've got a few overripe bananas sitting on your counter.

It's simple, delicious, and just a little different from traditional banana bread.

And if you're anything like me, you might find yourself looking through your pantry, wondering what other cake mix flavors would make a terrific banana bread!

Happy baking, y'all!

Janice Thompson is a professional baker, cake designer, and author with over 20 years of experience creating unique cakes and desserts. She’s the creator of Out of the Box Baking, where she shares her favorite doctored cake mix recipes, tutorials, and baking tips. Learn more →