Super moist and so simple, this 4 Ingredient Cake Mix Banana Bread is perfect to satisfy your banana bread craving! In less than an hour and with no extra kitchen equipment, you'll have the most delicious banana bread to enjoy!
Do you love banana bread? It's the best thing to do with those very ripe bananas sitting on your counter that you thought your family would eat. I get it! I've been there too!
This banana bread is so moist and so easy to make! The cake mix adds so much texture, flavor, and it's a big help! No need to worry about baking powder or baking soda, this banana bread doesn't need it! The cake mix has all that in it already!
Be sure to check out what to serve with banana bread for lots of delicious recipes!
Ingredients You'll Need
- Yellow Cake Mix. I like using Betty Crocker, but whatever your favorite brand is would be great in this recipe.
- Bananas. Spotty and soft bananas are best. See the information below if your bananas are not quite ripe enough.
- Eggs. To keep the banana bread together.
- Melted butter. Vegetable oil, coconut oil, or avocado oil can be used as well. You want a neutral oil for this recipe.
What Bananas Should I Use?
We all buy that bunch of bananas, and there are inevitably two or three left over that get too soft and brown to eat. I know my kids refuse to eat them unless they are perfectly yellow. A little brown and forget it!
To make banana bread though, those bananas are perfect! Brown, spotty, and a little mushy have the perfect amount of sweetness and are easily mashed, to make the most delicious banana bread.
Equipment You'll Need
Let's Make 4 Ingredient Cake Mix Banana Bread!
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan with melted butter or cooking spray. Set that aside.
Peel the bananas and place them in a large mixing bowl. Mash them well.
Add the eggs and melted butter to the bowl. Mix well.
Open the box of cake mix and mix all the ingredients together until fully combined. Do not overmix, it's ok if there are a few lumps left in the batter.
Pour the banana bread batter into the loaf pan and bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick is inserted into the middle of the loaf and comes out clean.
Allow the banana bread to cool on a wire rack before serving.
Tips and Tricks
- Banana bread is known to stick to the sides of the loaf pan, so it's really important to grease it well. To make it even easier to get the banana bread out of the pan, line the loaf pan with parchment paper. The parchment paper will make it really easy to lift out the bread when it's done.
- If the top of the banana bread is browning too fast in the oven, take a piece of aluminum foil and tent it over the loaf pan. That will stop the browning on the top of the bread.
- Though it might be tempting to cut this bread as soon as you take it out of the oven, it's really important to let it cool. If you don't allow the bread to cool, it will likely fall apart when you cut into it.
How To Ripen Bananas
- To ripen bananas faster than they normally would, place the bananas in a brown bag with an apple. The gases from the skin of the apple speeds up the ripening process. This way will take about a day to ripen.
- If you are in a pinch and want to ripen bananas quickly, preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Place the whole banana on a baking sheet and place them in the oven for 15 minutes. When the skins turn completely black they are ready! Carefully peel the banana and let it cool, then proceed with the recipe.
- Otherwise you can do what we do, leave them out on the counter until we forget about them and then make banana bread!
Variations
- This is really just a base recipe. You can add your favorite banana bread add ins to the batter! I love adding chocolate chips, mini chocolate chips, nuts, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and more!
- Use a different cake mix! A chocolate banana bread would be delicious and simple to make by just using a devil's food cake box instead of a yellow cake mix. You can also spice up the banana bread by using spice cake mix.
- Swirl in some peanut butter right into the batter. There's no more classic combination than peanut butter and bananas!
- Top it with a streusel topping! For an even sweeter banana bread, sprinkle on a streusel topping just like on these apple muffins!
Storage Tips
- Place the leftover banana bread in an airtight container and it will stay fresh on the counter for up to 4 days. You can also keep the banana bread in a Ziploc bag on the counter.
- Banana bread also freezes beautifully. Allow the banana bread to cool, wrap the bread in plastic wrap, and then place the loaf of bread in a Ziploc bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. To defrost, take the banana bread out of the freezer and allow it to defrost on the counter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Instead of making banana bread, you can make this batter into banana bread muffins. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners and scoop the batter equally into the muffin tins.
Yes! This recipe would be great with your favorite gluten free cake mix and the best part is you would not have to change any of the other ingredients!
Yes! If the bananas are black and mushy, it's time to get rid of them. You want your bananas soft, brown, and spotty.
If you do not have a loaf pan, no worries! You can use mini loaf pans, a cake pan, or even a Bundt pan.
More Banana Bread Recipes
- One Bowl Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
- Banana Bread with Self-Rising Flour
- Banana Bread without Butter
- Double Chocolate Banana Bread
- Sourdough Discard Banana Bread
- Cinnamon Streusel Banana Bread
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📖 Recipe
4 Ingredient Cake Mix Banana Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 box Yellow Cake Mix 15.25 oz
- 4-5 Very Ripe Bananas 2 ½ cups mashed
- 2 Eggs
- ¼ cup Melted Butter
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon Optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a loaf pan with butter or oil. Set that aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, mashed the peeled bananas very well.
- Add the melted butter and eggs. Mix well.
- Add in the cake mix and cinnamon (if using) and mix until just combined. It's ok if there are a few lumps left in the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick is inserted and comes out clean.
- Let the banana bread rest on a wire rack before serving.
Video
Notes
- This is just a base recipe. Feel free to add in your favorite banana bread add ins like walnuts, chocolate chips, cinnamon, vanilla extract, or a streusel topping!
- Keep the banana bread at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freeze this banana bread in a a freezer bag for up to 3 months.
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