Got ripe bananas and a box of pancake mix? You can absolutely turn them into banana bread. This easy banana bread with pancake mix comes out soft, moist, and full of banana flavor, with a lot less measuring.
Why I Make Banana Bread with Pancake Mix
With so many things to make with pancake mix, this banana bread is one of our favorites. I make it on a lazy weekend or at the end of an Airbnb vacation, when I’m left with ripe bananas meant for banana pancakes I never made and half a box of pancake mix I bought to make waffles that I don’t want to throw away. It’s easy, tasty, and you’ll love it!
Ingredients
In this recipe, pancake mix replaces the flour and baking powder you’d normally use in banana bread. You’ll also need butter, sugar, eggs, ripe bananas, vanilla, and optional cinnamon.
How to Make Banana Bread with Pancake Mix
- Make the batter
Room temperature butter and eggs are the way to go here. If you melt the butter, you won’t be able to mix it with the sugar as well. Mix your batter; a few lumps are ok. - Bake
Wait for the oven to be fully preheated before placing the loaf pan inside. Check that the top isn’t too brown around minute 40; if so, cover it with foil until it’s done baking. - Cool
Let the banana bread cool down in the loaf pan for 10 minutes before removing it onto a board and slicing.
Tip: Don’t have a loaf pan? Use a 9×9 baking dish and reduce the baking time to 22-27 minutes.
Knowing When It’s Done
In a standard loaf pan, this banana bread from a mix should take 50 to 55 minutes to bake from a mix. You’ll know the banana bread is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs.
Mix-Ins
You can add a total of ½ to ¾ cup of mix-ins to the batter. These could be chocolate chips, chopped nuts, blueberries, or even trail mix!
Easy Banana Bread with Pancake Mix
Ingredients
- ½ cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup mashed bananas, about 2 bananas
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cup pancake mix
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon, optional
Instructions
Prep:
- Remove the butter and the eggs from the fridge and let them sit out at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Position the oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350F. Grease or butter the loaf pan.
Mix:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar for 2 to 3 minutes until the butter is airy and fluffy.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix for about 1 minute each. Add the vanilla and mashed bananas to the bowl and mix until combined.
- Add the pancake mix and the cinnamon (if using) to the bowl. With the mixer on low speed or with a spatula, incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined. The batter might be a bit lumpy from the bananas.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, and using the back of a spoon or a spatula, spread the top to even it out.
Bake:
- Bake it in the preheated oven for 50 to 55 minutes, until the middle is no longer wet and when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Around minute 35, it will have risen as much as it's going to rise. This is a good time to cover the banana bread with foil until the end of baking time to avoid burning the top.
- Remove the banana bread pan from the oven and let it cool down to room temperature before removing it from the pan and slicing it.
Notes
- This can be made in a 9×9 square baking dish or a disposable tin tray. Reduce the baking time to 22-27 minutes.
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Maria says
Loved this banana bread!
Kat says
Loved the way this banana bread turned out!
Jean says
I never would have even dreamed of this recipe! But it works!! Will be making it again.
Angela says
This recipe turned out fantastic! The entire family loved it. I can’t wait to make it again!!
Amy says
What a great idea this was! Kids smashed it!