This 3 ingredient banana bread is one of my favorite examples of how a simple baking shortcut can produce something truly delicious. After decades of cooking and baking for family, I’ve learned that dependable recipes with just a few ingredients are often the ones people return to most.
I made this banana bread with yellow cake mix for years, but once I tried it with spice cake mix, I loved the extra warmth and flavor it added. Both versions are soft and sweet, but the spice cake version has become my personal favorite.
I’ve shared hundreds of easy recipes on Momcrieff, and the simplest recipes are consistently some of the most popular with readers. This one is tested in my own kitchen, takes only about five minutes to mix, and is an easy way to turn overripe bananas into a loaf your family will be happy to eat.
If you like simple baking shortcuts, try my easy zucchini bread or my 3 ingredient chocolate banana muffins. Both are made with cake mix and are just as quick and tasty! If you are craving chocolate chips with your bread, you will love this easy banana bread with chocolate chips! If you need more, I have a big list of my best 3 Ingredient Desserts.
Table of contents
- Why I Love This 3 Ingredient Banana Bread
- Ingredients for 3 Ingredient Banana Bread
- Flavor additions (optional)
- Instructions for Banana Bread with Cake Mix
- How to Serve this Cake Mix Banana Bread Recipe
- Storing 3 Ingredient Banana Bread
- FAQs for Three Ingredient Banana Bread
- Other Delicious 3 Ingredient Recipe Desserts
Why I Love This 3 Ingredient Banana Bread
Only Three Ingredients: This recipe keeps things incredibly simple with just ripe bananas, eggs, and a boxed cake mix. It's perfect for those days when you want homemade banana bread without measuring a long list of ingredients.
Great Way to Use Ripe Bananas: Whenever I have bananas that are getting too ripe to eat, this is one of the first recipes I make. It's an easy way to reduce food waste while turning those bananas into a soft, flavorful loaf.
Perfect for Beginning Bakers: Since the cake mix does most of the work, this recipe is very forgiving. If you're new to baking or want a recipe that turns out consistently well, this is an excellent place to start.
Easy to Customize: I often keep the recipe just as written, but it's also delicious with chopped walnuts, pecans, chocolate chips, or a sprinkle of cinnamon. You can easily make it your own without changing the simple base recipe.
Moist and Flavorful Every Time: I've tested this recipe with both yellow and spice cake mix, and it comes out soft, tender, and full of banana flavor every time. Spice cake mix is my favorite because it adds warm spices without any extra effort.
Ingredients for 3 Ingredient Banana Bread
Yes! Only 3 ingredients so this is an inexpensive, quick and delicious recipe! There is a good chance these ingredients are already in your home!
Spice Cake Mix - I love making easy cake mix recipes with Betty Crocker mixes. I've used them for years and they always work! You can certainly use your favorite cake mix or what is readily available (or even homemade mix).
Eggs - Two large eggs help bind the ingredients. I recommend taking them out of the fridge prior to starting so they are closer to room temperature.
Susan's Tip - Room-temperature Eggs blend into the batter more evenly and help the loaf rise highter. If you want to raise the temperature of eggs quickly, put them into a bowl of warm water for 5-10 minutes.
Bananas - They add natural sweetness and flavor. Plus, we don't add any oil in this recipe. The bananas are a substitute for the oil here. That's a big plus, don't you think?
Flavor additions (optional)
Cinnamon: Add 1 to 1½ teaspoons of ground cinnamon to the batter for extra warm spice. This is especially nice if you're using a yellow cake mix instead of spice cake mix.
Chocolate Chips: Stir 1 cup of chocolate chips into the batter for an easy chocolate chip banana bread. If you'd like a bakery-style look, sprinkle a few extra chocolate chips over the top before baking. This is one of my kids' favorite variations!
Chopped Nuts: Fold in ½ to 1 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts for added crunch and nutty flavor. They pair especially well with the bananas and spice cake mix.
Instructions for Banana Bread with Cake Mix
Preheat oven to 350ºF. I'm using a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Prepare the loaf pan by adding parchment paper cut to size. I also spray it with some no-stick spray. It makes the loaf so easy to take out!
Step 1
Peel 3 medium bananas and mash. I use a mixer to 'mash' this since it's faster and easier. Make sure to leave it just a little lumpy so there still is some banana pieces. It should not be a smooth batter.
Step 2
Add eggs and give it a quick mix (either by hand or with a hand mixer).
Step 3
Add the cake mix and stir (or use mixer) until just mixed. Do not overmix or attempt to mix it until smooth.
Step 4
Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 50 minutes in the 350º oven. Check with a toothpick to determine if done.
Step 5
Allow to cool for 10 minutes in loaf pan. Pull out loaf by using parchment paper and place onto a wire rack to cool. The banana bread can be sliced (and is delicious) while still warm.
How to Serve this Cake Mix Banana Bread Recipe
I like to sprinkle just a touch of powdered sugar on the top. It just gives a little more interest to the finished bread.
Storing 3 Ingredient Banana Bread
This banana bread will be fine on the counter (wrapped) for three days. It will last up to a week in the fridge. This quick bread can be frozen for up to 3 months if well-wrapped.
FAQs for Three Ingredient Banana Bread
Here is a very similar three-ingredient recipe where I make easy but delicious banana muffins. It's similar to this recipe and takes less time to bake because muffins are smaller.
The other common-sized loaf pans are 8 ½ x 4 ½ inches. I would recommend making 2 loaves if using the smaller loaf pans. Reduce the baking time to approximately 40 minutes and test with a toothpick to see when it's done.
Some ovens are hotter than others. I would recommend putting an oven safe thermometer in yours to see what the actual temperature is vs. the temperature you are setting it to. My last oven was 10º hotter than it was supposed to be so I always set the temperature 10º lower.
Baking Tip: if you are nervous about over-baking something. Test with a toothpick 10 minutes prior to the recommended completion time.
Other Delicious 3 Ingredient Recipe Desserts
Easy Banana Bread using Cake Mix
Ingredients
- 1 Package spice cake I like Betty Crocker
- 2 large eggs
- 3 medium bananas ripe or over-ripe
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line loaf pan with parchment paper and spray with nonstick spray. My loaf pan is 9 x 5 inches.
- Peel 3 medium bananas and mash. Mash bananas until there are small chunks. You do not want a smooth texture because you want to see bits of banana in the banana bread.
- Add two large eggs and mix into bananas.
- Add cake mix into egg and banana mixture. Stir in until just mixed. You do NOT add any of the other ingredients listed on the back of the box.
- Bake until toothpick comes out clean from the middle. This normally takes 50 minutes in my oven.
- Let cool for 10 minutes after removing from the oven. Use the parchment paper to lift out of loaf pan and place on a wire rack to cool.Can be sliced when warm. I find cutting this in 12 gives nice sized slices.
Notes
Storage
This banana bread will be fine on the counter (wrapped) for three days. It will last up to a week in the fridge. This quick bread can be frozen for up to 3 months if well wrapped.FAQs
Nutrition (estimate)
148
1
Cathy M Montoya
Super easy and super good! Made this for a pool tournament and a card game. So many people came over to me to tell me how much they liked it! I make it more like a snack cake in a 9x13 pan and drizzle some simple powdered sugar, vanilla and milk- icing over it! I did get a request for nuts in it. Which sounds wonderful!
Susan Moncrieff
Thanks for sharing how much your guests liked this recipe! Adding the nuts sounds delicious to me too!
Emilia R. Gonzales
Love your recipes! Thank you for sharing.