Chocolate Banana Bread With Box Cake
Equipment
- 2 large mixing bowls
- 1 medium mixing bowl
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Rubber spatula
- 1 9x5-inch loaf pan
- 1 nonstick spray can or 1 tablespoon butter for greasing pan
- 1 set measuring cups
- 1 set measuring spoons
- 1 toothpick or cake tester
- 1 wire cooling rack
Ingredients
- 1 box chocolate cake mix 15.25 ounces
- 3 medium bananas mashed very ripe
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 0.5 cup vegetable oil
- 0.5 cup milk room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 0.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon optional
- 0.25 teaspoon fine salt
- 0.5 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips optional
- 0.25 cup chopped walnuts optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray or butter and lightly dust with a spoonful of dry cake mix or flour, tapping out the excess.
- In a large mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork until mostly smooth with only small lumps remaining.
- Add the eggs, vegetable oil, milk, and vanilla extract to the bananas and whisk until well combined.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, add the chocolate cake mix, ground cinnamon, and salt, stirring to combine.
- Pour the wet banana mixture into the dry cake mix bowl and gently fold together with a spatula until just combined and no dry pockets remain.
- Fold in the chocolate chips and walnuts, if using, until evenly distributed without overmixing.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with the spatula.
- Bake the loaf on the middle rack for 50–60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean with only a few moist crumbs.
- Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool for 15–20 minutes.
- Run a knife around the edges, carefully remove the banana bread from the pan, and let it cool completely on the wire rack before slicing.
Notes
For best results, use very ripe bananas with plenty of brown spots for extra sweetness and moisture, and avoid overmixing the batter so the bread stays tender instead of dense. If the top is browning too quickly during baking, loosely tent the loaf with foil for the last 10–15 minutes. Letting the bread cool fully before slicing helps it set and prevents crumbling, and storing slices tightly wrapped or in an airtight container at room temperature will keep them soft for several days. You can also warm individual slices in the microwave for a few seconds and serve with butter, peanut butter, or a scoop of ice cream for an easy dessert upgrade.
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