Easy Cake Mix Banana Bread Recipe (Brown Sugar Crust)

This easy cake mix banana bread recipe is the ultimate recipe hack! Using a box of cake mix makes this moist banana bread ridiculously simple while the brown sugar crust takes it over the top. Smother it in smoked salt honey butter for the most flavorful banana bread ever!

Why You'll Love It

If you love a quick bread recipe that’s packed with banana flavor, this cake mix banana bread recipe is for you! 

This easy recipe uses a box of your favorite cake mix, so you get all the cozy, homemade goodness without measuring a million ingredients. 

Plus, it works with a yellow cake mix, white, chocolate, spiced cake mix, or even butter pecan cake mix—so pick your favorite and get baking!

The best part? You only need a few simple ingredients and about 40-45 minutes of baking time for the perfect banana bread. 

You can also switch things up by adding chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, or even some banana slices on top. Want muffins instead? Pour the banana bread batter into a muffin tin for easy grab-and-go treats. You do you, boo!

This homemade banana bread is a great way to use up overripe bananas while making a delicious treat that the whole family will love.

Ingredients & Substitutions

FOR THE BANANA BREAD: Here is everything you need to make this easy 4 ingredient recipe for cake mix banana bread. Feel free to swap out your favorite cake mix flavor when making this delicious banana bread. 

• Overripe Bananas: The riper, the better when it comes to this banana bread cake mix hack! Squishy, brown spotted bananas make for the best banana bread.
• Vanilla Extract: Enhances the banana flavor and adds depth. It's not required so you can leave it out if you don't have any. 
• Large Eggs: Helps bind everything together for the perfect texture.
• Box of Yellow Cake Mix: In my trials, yellow makes the best cake mix banana bread so I highly recommend using that falvor. Swap for a different cake mix flavor like spice cake mix, white cake mix, chocolate cake mix, strawberry cake mix, vanilla cake mix, or even butter pecan for a twist.

FOR THE CRUST - This part is optional but absolutley delicious!!! If you left it out, it would be your traditional 4 ingredient banana bread but the cinnamon sugar crust makes it next level!

• Cold Butter: Creates that delicious, caramelized top of the bread.
• Cinnamon: Adds a warm spice to complement the bananas.
• Light Brown Sugar: Helps create the signature brown sugar crust on this easy banana cake.

For the Smoked Salt Honey Butter - Another optional part of the recipe but it's so, so good!!

• Butter: Use salted or unsalted.
• Tupelo Honey: Or swap with your favorite honey.
• Smoked Sea Salt: Adds a subtle smoky depth that enhances the sweetness.

How to Make It

If you hate measuring ingredients, this quick mix shortcut makes for a soft, sweet easy banana bread recipe with minimal effort. Here's how you do it:

PREHEAT OVEN: Set to 350F and grease two prepared loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray.

MASH BANANAS: In a large mixing bowl, mash overripe bananas using a potato masher or a wooden spoon until mostly smooth with some chunks remaining.

MIX BATTER: Add eggs and vanilla extract to the large bowl and whisk together. Slowly stir in the box of cake mix (or use an electric mixer) and mix until combined.

PREPARE LOAF PANS: You can bake it in a glass loaf pan, 9x5 inch loaf pan, bread pan, or even a bundt cake pan. Once you choose your baking Chop cold butter into tiny cubes. Sprinkle evenly into the pans along with cinnamon and brown sugar.

BAKE: Pour in the banana bread batter, filling each pan halfway. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

COOL: Transfer to a wire rack or cooling rack and let cool for 10-15 minutes before removing from pans.

MAKE HONEY BUTTER: Mix butter, honey, and smoked sea salt together in a small bowl.

SERVE: Smother warm slices with smoked salt honey butter and enjoy!

SAVE: Once baked, store your loaf of banana bread in an airtight container at room temperature or wrapped in plastic wrap and aluminum foil to keep it fresh.

Storage Tips

• Wrap leftovers in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container at room temperature.
• Freeze slices in a ziploc bag for up to 3 months.
• Reheat in the microwave or toast for the best results.

More Fun Ideas

This cake mix banana bread recipe is truly the easiest banana bread recipe you’ll ever make. It’s a great recipe for real moms who want a quick recipe without sacrificing flavor. Whether you use a Betty Crocker or any other flavors, this 4 ingredient banana bread will be a hit on social media and at your table!

• Swap the yellow cake mix for a chocolate and add chocolate chips for an indulgent chocolate chip banana bread.
• Swap out the cinnamon brown sugar for a 1 cup chopped pineapple bits and ¼ cup chopped cherries for an upside down hawaiian banana bread. 
• Try a banana bread bundt cake by using a bundt pan instead of a large loaf pan.
• Use pancake batter with a handful of blueberries instead of cake mix for a unique twist.
• Turn it into banana muffins by baking in a muffin tin!

Recipe

Cake Mix Easy Banana Bread with Brown Sugar Crust

This delicious and easy banana bread recipe with honey butter uses store bought cake-mix and has monkey bread style crust made with brown sugar & cinnamon!

5 from 7 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 8 people

Equipment

• Loaf Pan
• Mixing Bowls
• Hand Mixer

Ingredients

  

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FOR THE BANANA BREAD

• 4 large Over Ripe Bananas
• ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 2 large Eggs
• 1 box Yellow Cake Mix

FOR THE BROWN SUGAR CRUST (optional)

• 4 tablespoon Cold Salted Butter
• ¼ teaspoon Cinnamon
• 4 tablespoon Light Brown Sugar

FOR THE SMOKED SALT HONEY BUTTER (optional)

• 3 tablespoon Salted BUtter
• 2 tablespoon Tupelo Honey
• 2 pinches Smoked Sea Salt

Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

 

FOR THE BANANA BREAD

• Preheat oven to 350F.
• Combine over ripe bananas, eggs and vanilla extract in a large bowl and mash until slightly chunky yet mostly smooth. Whisk in the cake mix for about 2 minutes. The batter should be pretty smooth but with a little bit of chunkiness because of the bananas.
• Chop butter into tiny cubes and grease 2 loaf pans. Sprinkle each pan evenly with butter cubes, cinnamon and brown sugar. Pour in the banana bread mixture half way and bake for 40-45 minutes or until the bread is cooked through. Test by using a toothpick.
• Remove banana bread from the loaf pans immediately and let it cool for 10-15 minutes before smothering it with honey butter.

FOR THE SMOKED SALT HONEY BUTTER

• Mix together butter, tupelo honey and smoked sea salt the serve.

Keyword banana bread, banana loaf, cake mix, cooking, delicious, easy, honey butter, recipe, simple

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