Banana bread is a classic option to satisfy your sweet tooth. You can easily make it by either following a traditional recipe or creating your version with some tweaks.
With baking enthusiasts coming up with various versions, one question commonly arises: Can you make banana bread using cake mix?
The good news is that you can surely make banana bread with cake mix to give it a fluffier, softer texture and a lighter color. What’s even better is that this method of baking banana bread takes significantly less time than the original recipe.
Now that you have the answer to your question, let’s dive into the specifics of making banana bread with cake mix right below!
Can You Use Cake Flour for Banana Bread?
You can definitely use cake flour for banana bread if you don’t want to use cake mix.
Cake flour may be the better option if you want to make your banana bread from scratch to give it a tender, moist, and fluffy texture that’s quite similar to cake. Plus, cake flour will make your banana bread lighter in color.
The reason why a lot of people go for cake flour instead of cake mix to make banana bread is that it doesn’t bring with it all the added sugars and fat that cake mix has.
Yet, its downside is that making banana bread using cake flour will take you the same duration as using bread flour or all-purpose flour. But this shouldn’t be a problem if you have a lot of time on your hands!
To use cake flour instead of all-purpose flour in a banana bread recipe, all you’ll have to do is use the same amount of cake flour as the one required for all-purpose flour. Then, just follow your reliable banana bread recipe to bake this delicious treat to perfection!
What Type of Cake Mix Can I Use to Make Banana Bread?
Typically, most baking enthusiasts use yellow cake mix to make banana bread. Not only does it enhance the bread’s color, but it also brings a taste that’s similar to custard to your game, which increases the decadence of your experience!
However, If you’re in the mood to level it up, you can also use other cake mix flavors that complement the taste of bananas. For example, you may go for:
- Chocolate cake mix
- Banana cake mix
- Cinnamon cake mix
- White cake mix
Can You Make Banana Bread in a Cake Pan?
It may be odd to think about baking bread in a cake pan, but this unconventional way of baking banana bread works!
Using round cake pans can make serving plain slices of banana bread more aesthetically pleasing since you’ll have to cut the bread in wedges instead of the usual slices.
Besides, if you’re concerned about whether or not your banana bread will cook evenly with a cake pan, the answer is yes!
Just make sure that you’ve checked your oven’s temperature and that you’ve allowed the banana bread to cook thoroughly before taking it out.
Does Using Cake Mix for Banana Bread Make It Unhealthy?
Original banana bread may be a healthy option, but using cake mix to make it can be a different story.
See, boxed cake mix contains a larger amount of added sugars and even trans fat. So, you might want to take it slow when using cake mix for baking banana bread.
It doesn’t mean that you have to steer clear entirely from it. Occasionally, you can enjoy making your banana bread with cake mix as long as it’s in moderation.
A Step-by-step Guide to Making Banana Bread Using Cake Mix
Now that we answered all the questions that may be on your mind about banana bread with cake mix, it’s time to try the recipe for yourself. Put your apron on, roll up your sleeves, and prepare the following ingredients on your counter!
Keep in mind that this recipe yields 24 to 30 servings of banana bread.
Ingredients
- 1 box of yellow cake mix (around 18.25 ounces)
- 3–5 overripe bananas (preferably of medium size)
- 3 eggs at room temperature
- ⅓ cup of vegetable oil
Recipe Instructions
- Start by mashing your bananas until you end up with really small chunks.
- If you don’t want any lumps in your batter, keep mashing the bananas until their consistency is close to a paste.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Take out your baking pan and grease it lightly with butter, then sprinkle some flour on its surface and shake off any excess flour.
- In this recipe, you can either use a large bundt pan or two 8×4-inch loaf pans.
- Mix the mashed bananas, cake mix, eggs, and vegetable oil thoroughly in a large bowl.
- Make sure not to over-mix the ingredients to allow some air into the batter; this is what leaves your end result with a fluffy, airy texture.
- Pour the batter into your choice of pan, then put the pan into the oven.
- Bake your banana bread for 35 minutes max in the loaf pans or 45 minutes in the bundt pan.
- To be sure that the banana bread is fully baked, insert a toothpick into the center of the loaf. (If it comes out with no traces of the batter sticking to it, then the bread is ready.)
- Turn off the heat and allow the bread to rest for about ten minutes before taking it out of the pan.
Now, all that’s left to do is slice the delicious bread and serve it. You can either eat it alone or with a wide variety of equally delicious toppings or add-ons, which we’ll discuss right below!
What to Pair or Serve With Banana Bread Made with Cake Mix
There is no shortage of options to pair with banana bread that’s been made with cake mix. You can’t go wrong with frosting and icing or even add-ons that you can blend with the batter before dropping the pan in the oven.
Here are some of our favorite foods to include in a banana bread recipe or on top of your baked loaf:
Fresh or Dried Fruits
If you want to add a fruity taste to your banana bread or banana cake, fresh fruits are your way to go. The best candidates that go well with bananas include:
- Blueberries
- Cranberries
- Strawberries
- Mashed mangoes
For a chewer consistency, you could opt for dried fruits instead. Apricots and cranberries should work here to improve the taste, texture, and even color of your banana cake!
Nuts
You can also fold some nuts into the banana bread batter right before pouring it into the pan for baking. Here are a few mouthwatering choices that you must try:
- Pecans
- Walnuts
- Cashews
- Almonds
- Hazelnuts
Frosting and Icing
Many icing and frosting options are pretty much tailored to enhance the taste of banana bread that’s been made with cake mix. These include:
Chocolate
Chocolate is perfect with banana bread in all its forms and shapes!
For example, you can apply some chocolate spread on your slice of banana bread and enjoy a remarkably sweeter and richer flavor.
Or, you could fold chocolate chips or dark chocolate pieces into the batter before baking. Imagine how chewy your banana bread/cake will come out!
Spices
Don’t underestimate the effects of some spices on your banana cake; they can take it to a whole new level of deliciousness!
Cinnamon should be your get-go option here. If not, a close second would be nutmeg.
Final Thoughts
Using cake mix to make banana bread can give you sweet, moist, and fluffy bread. Aside from that, it’s a quick way to make banana bread with fewer ingredients.
Thus, it gives you more time to enjoy every delectable slice!
Sarah is the founder of Baking Kneads, LLC, a blog sharing guides, tips, and recipes for those learning how to bake. Growing up as the daughter of a baker, she spent much of her childhood learning the basics in a local bakery.