Easy Banana Cake

Once you sink your teeth into this easy banana cake topped with a banana-flavored whipped cream frosting, there’s no going back. With the help of a boxed cake mix and a handful of ingredients, you can be eating this irresistable cake this afternoon!

 

Why this recipe works

If you have bananas on the counter that are turning brown, and you just aren’t feeling banana bread, you need to make this easy banana cake!

I love to bake from scratch, but sometimes there just isn’t enough time in a day. That’s where this banana cake comes in. I always have a stockpile of cake mixes in the pantry, and I love to doctor them up and make them my own. Everyone that tries this cake loves it, and it’s topped with a banana flavored whipped cream frosting!

Ingredients you will need

Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.

Ingredient Info and Substitute Suggestions

CAKE – For this banana cake recipe, you will need the ingredients from the back of the cake mix as well. An important note: some white cake mixes have two versions, one with egg whites and one with whole eggs. If yours has this option, use the number of eggs called for in the whole-egg version.

FROSTING – For the frosting, you will need a box of instant banana pudding mix, some milk, and whipped cream. If you prefer, you can use buttercream frosting or cream cheese frosting for this banana cake.

How to Make Easy Banana Cake

These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. Please scroll down to simply print out the recipe!

Making the Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 13×9 baking pan.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together dry cake mix, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt.
3. Use milk in place of the water on the back of the cake mix box and use whole eggs instead of egg whites. Use oil as directed on box.
4. Add milk, eggs, oil and bananas to the mixing bowl.
5. Beat on low for 15-30 seconds to combine then increase speed to medium-high and beat for two minutes, until well blended.
6. Pour batter into prepared cake pan and bake in preheated oven for 40-45 minutes or until cake springs back when gently touched in the center. Allow cake to fully cool before frosting.

Making the Frosting

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together milk and pudding and place in refrigerator.
2. Beat the heavy whipping cream with a mixer set to high until stiff peaks form. Fold pudding into the whipped cream and spread onto cake.
3. Garnish with sliced bananas if desired.

Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips

Serving Suggestions

Serve at room temperature for birthdays, parties, potlucks, or really for any occasion you want! If you are going to garnish the cake with banana slices, wait until you are ready to serve so the banana slices don’t brown.

Doctoring up a cake mix can be a real time saver. I love to bake from scratch, but I don’t always have the time to do that. This particular doctored cake mix recipe is one of my favorites to date, along with my Banana Pudding Poke Cake! This easy banana cake is a great solution for when you need something different and fun but you don’t have time to fuss.

What our readers are saying…

This is the best banana cake I’ve ever made! I use a cream cheese frosting topped with pecans! YUM!

~ Mary

This is the best banana cake! It is so moist and delicious! I did not try the icing recipe. I used vanilla icing instead. I will have to try Amanda’s other recipes.

~ Toni

OMG! The best banana cake I have ever had, and I made it 🤗! Thank you so very much for this recipe. I have it committed to memory so I can make it anytime, anyplace. I frosted with Pillsbury vanilla-marshmallow frosting then I poured homemade chocolate ganache over that.

~Yvonne

So moist and delicious. One of the most requested desserts at our extended family Sunday dinner each week. We serve the whipped cream/pudding topping on the side to accommodate a variety of sweetness. Thanks for a great easy cake!!

~ Rita

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Easy Banana Cake

This banana cake using cake mix is positively delicious, easy to make and is topped with an amazing banana flavored whipped cream frosting!

4.99 from 488 votes

IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!

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Course: Desserts

Cuisine: American

Servings: 24 pieces

55 minutes mins

Calories: 69

Author: Amanda Davis

Ingredients

• ▢ 16.25 ounce box white cake mix PLUS ingredients on back of box (you need milk in place of the water on the box)
• ▢ ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
• ▢ Milk use measurement on cake mix box
• ▢ 3 medium ripe bananas mashed or broken into large chunks

Frosting

• ▢ 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• ▢ 3.4 ounce package banana cream instant pudding
• ▢ 1 cup milk

Things You’ll Need

• ▢
  13×9 baking pan
• ▢
  Stand mixer
• ▢
  Whisk
• ▢
  Rubber spatula

Before You Begin

• This is a repeat from above, but wanted to make sure you saw it. Some white cake mixes have two versions, one with egg whites and one with whole eggs. If yours has this option, use the number of eggs called for in the whole-egg version.
• If you prefer, you can use buttercream frosting or cream cheese frosting for this banana cake.
• If you are going to garnish the cake with banana slices, wait until you are ready to serve so the banana slices don’t brown.

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 13×9 baking pan.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together dry cake mix, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt.
• Use milk in place of the water on the back of the cake mix box and use whole eggs instead of egg whites. Use oil as directed on box. Add milk, eggs, oil and bananas to the mixing bowl.
• NOTE: Some white cake mixes have two versions, one with egg whites and one with whole eggs. If yours has this option, use the number of eggs called for in the whole-egg version.
• Beat on low for 15-30 seconds to combine then increase speed to medium high and beat for two minutes, until well blended.
• Pour batter into prepared cake pan and bake in preheated oven for 40-45 minutes or until cake springs back when gently touched in the center. Allow it to fully cool before frosting.

For the Frosting

• In a medium bowl, whisk together milk and pudding and place in refrigerator.
• Beat the heavy whipping cream with a mixer set to high until stiff peaks form. Fold pudding into the whipped cream and spread onto cake.
• Garnish with sliced bananas if desired.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 69cal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 104mg | Potassium: 75mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 172IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1mg

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This post originally appeared here on Apr 8, 2014 and has since been updated with new photos and expert tips.