Chocolate Banana Cake is the perfect dessert for when you are short on time but need a yummy dessert. The addition of bananas to this recipe makes a box mix chocolate cake into a deliciously moist and decadent treat!

Chocolate Banana Cake on a plate topped with bananas

When the urge for an easy decadent dessert hits, this Chocolate Banana Cake is perfect for a quick and easy treat.  It won’t last for long because everyone will want to have a second slice!

I absolutely love bananas in baking including banana bread, banana cake and my absolute favorite chocolate chip banana bread!

While I do love a good Chocolate Cake From Scratch, sometimes I just want to get something put together quickly and easily.  This chocolate banana cake fits the bill perfectly!

Chocolate Banana Cake in a dish with a piece taken out

This recipe starts with a boxed chocolate cake mix and once mixed, the ripe mashed bananas and chocolate chips are mixed in. If your banana peels have little brown flecks, they are ripe and ready to use! While this cake does have 3 bananas added, they don’t add a ton of banana flavor to the mixture but what they do add is tons of moisture making this cake taste decadent and homemade. (In fact there are lots of great ways to make a box cake mix taste homemade!

I love to use either my One Minute Easy Chocolate Frosting a good Chocolate Buttercream Frosting to top this (or even store bought if you prefer).  If you don’t have chocolate frosting on hand, whipped cream or whipped topping is great too!

Chocolate Banana Cake on a white plate topped with bananas

This cake will stay moist for days (although it never lasts that long around here) but it also freezes very well if you’d like to make it ahead of time.  Simply prepare as directed, cool completely and then cover well and freeze.

This really is a deliciously moist cake that requires very few ingredients.  For a fun and easy twist, you can use any flavor cake mix in this recipe with great results including yellow cake or spice cake with chopped nuts in place of the chocolate chips (and top it with homemade Cream Cheese Frosting).  The possibilities with the basic recipe are endless.

image of Everyday Comfort cookbook by Holly Nilsson of Spend With Pennies plus text
Chocolate Banana Cake on a plate topped with bananas
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Chocolate Banana Cake

Chocolate Banana Cake is the perfect dessert for when you are short on time but need a yummy dessert. The addition of bananas to this recipe makes a box mix chocolate cake into a deliciously moist and decadent treat!
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 16 servings
Author Holly Nilsson
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Ingredients  

  • 1 box cake mix
  • cup vegetable oil or as called for on your box mix
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup water
  • 3 bananas mashed
  • 1 cup chocolate chips

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Grease and flour a 9×13 pan.
  • Combine cake mix, oil, eggs and water. Fold in bananas and chocolate chips.
  • Bake 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  • Cool completely and frost as desired.
4.98 from 77 votes

Nutrition Information

Calories: 244 | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 243mg | Potassium: 179mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 85IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 1.5mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Dessert
Cuisine Asian

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About the author

Holly Nilsson is the creator of Spend With Pennies, where she creates easy, comforting recipes made for real life. With a passion for nostalgic flavors and simplified techniques, Holly helps busy home cooks create delicious meals that always work. She is also the author of “Everyday Comfort,” which promises to inspire even more hearty, home-cooked meals.
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Comments

  1. MimiGram says:

    I made your cake using Pillsbury Zero chocolate cake mix. It’s cooling now, but I’m sure it will be yummy. I plan to use make cream cheese, instant pudding, cool whip icing.5 stars

  2. Bobby says:

    Can I use Pillsbury zero sugar devil’s food cake mix?

    1. Spend With Pennies SP says:

      I have never tried but you should be able to use a zero-sugar cake mix instead. If you decide to try it, we would love to hear how it turns out!

  3. Grandma Jeanne says:

    I never leave comments on recipe sites, but this is absolutely the most delicious, moist chocolate cake I’ve ever made! I was looking for an easy way to use up some bananas that were getting really ripe, and I am so glad I found this recipe. I put cream cheese frosting on it. Amazing! Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe!5 stars

    1. Spend With Pennies SP says:

      We are so happy you loved this recipe, Jeanne! Thanks for leaving a comment.

    2. Joe Lavigne says:

      I screwed up and bought brownie mix by mistake. Still used and followed directions from here. Hoping for the best.

  4. Laura says:

    Delicious! I only had a white cake mix on hand so I added 1/4 c of cocoa!5 stars

  5. Faye says:

    My husband and I love this. So easy to make and taste wonderful. Great way to use ripe bananas that everyone will love.
    Thank you for publishing this recipe.5 stars

  6. Mary Biertzer says:

    do you mix cake mix, oil , water and eggs. by hand or use beater according to box recipe

    1. Spend With Pennies AO says:

      I just mix them by hand Mary. Enjoy!

  7. Marcia Hackett says:

    I made this at high altitude. I added a 1/4 cup flour and coffee instead of water. I made cupcakes and put a few chocolate chips on top of each one instead of mixing them in the batter.5 stars

  8. Julie says:

    We’re a tough family to please:

    When kids were younger, lemon and chocolate pudding cakes were
    a great quick celebration dessert.

    This recipe is the best I’ve seen yet. Fabulous!

    Now I’ll check to see if a lemon pudding cake recipe is here~5 stars

  9. Linda Arches says:

    I have made this cake several times, and serve it with fresh whipped cream. Heavenly!5 stars

    1. Spend With Pennies AO says:

      I am so glad you have enjoyed this recipe Linda!

  10. Ayled Villarreal says:

    I haven’t made this but definitely want to try it! For freezing this cake, do you have any recommendations? For how long can I freeze? And how do you come about unfreezing the cake? Thanks!!

    1. Spend With Pennies SN says:

      Hi Ayled, this cake can be frozen for a few months. To freeze, make sure you let it cool completely, then cover well and freeze. To defrost, I would let it sit in the refrigerator overnight or until thawed.

      1. Carey Myers says:

        This is an AMAZING recipe I was needing to use up some bananas and found this recipe. I made it for lunch guest and itvwas a winner, also my son loved it. I’ve already shared with my sister’s and mom. I frosted it with a chocolate cream cheese icing. I’m glad I found this recipe 5 stars

      2. Spend With Pennies SP says:

        SO happy your family loved this cake, Carey!

  11. Chelsie says:

    What kind of boxed cake did you use ?4 stars

    1. Spend With Pennies SN says:

      Hi Chelsie, for this recipe we used a boxed chocolate cake.

  12. Jasmine says:

    Amendment, I did use a 9 by 12 pan.

  13. Jasmine says:

    Just took this out of the oven. It smells amazing!! I have a banana icing, that will be going on top of it for extra flavor. 5 stars

    1. Spend With Pennies SN says:

      Yum, a banana icing would be delicious on this cake. Hope you enjoy it!

  14. Jasmine says:

    I love *boxed* cakes they’re easy and only the baker knows. My question is; can I use a bundt pan for this recipe?

    1. Spend With Pennies SN says:

      Hi Jasmine, I haven’t tried this in a bundt pan however, it is a very soft cake so I’m not sure how would work.

  15. CF says:

    Followed recipe exactly and the cake came out so decadent! Moist/delicious/
    Family loved it thanks for the recipe! Won’t be making banana bread as often now that we have yummy options5 stars

    1. Spend With Pennies SN says:

      This cake is such a yummy option CF! Glad you enjoy it too :)

  16. Catherine Fernandes says:

    What ingredients do i use instead of boxed cake mix?

    1. Holly Nilsson says:

      I’ve only made this as written so I can’t say for sure.

  17. Chrisky says:

    I tried your banana cake recipe and it was awesome.
    I want to try this one too.
    may i know how many ml or cups equivalent of cake flour for 1 box of cake mix?5 stars

    1. Holly Nilsson says:

      Cake mix has other ingredients besides flour so switching for just flour will not work. The box cake mix is approximately 15.25 oz/432g.

  18. Christina Cloutier says:

    Great recipes!5 stars