Red Velvet Banana Bread: A Colorful Treat to Impress
WOW, this Red Velvet Banana Bread is seriously amazing! I’m totally obsessed with how it mixes two of my favorite treats into one gorgeous loaf. The cocoa flavor and sweet banana taste? They’re perfect together!
I love making this for holiday brunch because everyone goes crazy for it. It’s also a showstopper dessert that looks fancy but is super easy. That bright red color makes people smile every single time. Trust me, once you try this, you’ll be hooked like I am!
Ingredients You’ll Need
This recipe is so clever! It uses boxed cake mix, so you can’t mess it up. Plus, fresh bananas make it taste homemade. Check out the recipe card below for all the exact amounts you need.
- Red Velvet Cake Mix: This gives you that pretty red color and yummy cocoa taste without any fuss or extra work.
- Ripe Bananas: Look for bananas with lots of brown spots because they’re sweeter and make everything super moist and delicious.
- Eggs: These hold everything together and help your bread rise up nice and fluffy while it bakes in the oven.
- Vegetable Oil: This keeps your bread soft and moist for days without making it taste weird or heavy at all.
- Cream Cheese Glaze: You don’t have to add this, but it makes your bread look bakery-fancy and taste even better.
How to Make Red Velvet Banana Bread
Ready to bake? This is super simple! Just follow along with these easy steps, and you’ll have amazing bread in no time.
Step 1: Prepare Your Pan and Oven
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Then, grease your 9×5-inch pan really well with spray or butter so nothing sticks later.
Step 2: Mash the Bananas
Mash 1 ½ cups bananas (that’s about 2-3 bananas) in a bowl. Make them mostly smooth, but a few lumps are totally fine.
Step 3: Mix Wet Ingredients
Beat 2 large eggs with ⅓ cup vegetable oil in your big bowl. Mix them for about 30 seconds until they look a bit foamy.
Step 4: Combine Everything
Add mashed bananas and one 15.25oz box of red velvet cake mix to your eggs. Stir gently until just mixed. Don’t go crazy here!
Step 5: Pour and Bake
Pour batter into your greased pan and smooth the top. Pop it in the oven for 50-55 minutes until a toothpick comes out mostly clean.
Step 6: Cool and Serve
Let it cool in the pan for 15 minutes first. Then move it to a cooling rack. Add powdered sugar or glaze on top. YUM!
Tips for the Best Red Velvet Banana Bread
- Use overripe bananas because the browner they are, the sweeter and more flavorful your bread will be!
- Don’t overmix after you add the cake mix, or your bread won’t be soft and fluffy anymore.
- Check at 50 minutes since all ovens are different. You don’t want dry bread, right?
- Cool it completely before adding any glaze so it doesn’t melt and slide right off the bread.
- Keep it covered at room temperature for 3 days or in the fridge for a whole week.
Variations and Substitutions
Want to mix things up? No problem! You can totally change this recipe to fit what you like or what you have at home.
- Add chocolate chips: Throw in ½ cup of chocolate chips for extra chocolatey goodness. Can you imagine that?
- Make it dairy-free: Skip the cream cheese glaze and use a simple icing with powdered sugar and plant milk instead.
- Try different cake mixes: Use chocolate or vanilla cake mix instead. The banana will still make it taste awesome!
- Add nuts: Toss in ½ cup of chopped pecans or walnuts if you want some nice crunchy texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this Red Velvet Banana Bread ahead of time?
Yes! Bake it up to 2 days early. Just wrap it up tight and leave it on your counter.
How should I store leftover banana bread?
Wrap it in plastic wrap or put it in a container with a lid. Room temperature for 3 days works great.
Can I freeze Red Velvet Banana Bread?
ABSOLUTELY! Wrap it super tight in plastic, then foil. It stays good for 3 months in your freezer. Easy peasy!
Why is my banana bread too dry?
You probably baked it too long. Check it at 50 minutes with a toothpick so it stays nice and moist.
Can I use a different size pan?
Sure! An 8×4-inch pan works, but add 5-10 more minutes to the baking time. Just check with a toothpick.
Do I need to add extra sugar?
Nope! The cake mix and ripe bananas already have tons of sweetness. You’re all set without adding more.
Can I add mix-ins to this recipe?
Yes! Fold in ½ cup of chocolate chips, nuts, or dried fruit after you mix everything together. What do you think sounds good?
What makes this bread so moist?
It’s the combo of bananas, oil, and cake mix. They work together to keep it super soft for days!
Red Velvet Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups mashed bananas (about 2-3 ripe)
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 1 box (15.25 oz) red velvet cake mix
- Powdered sugar or cream cheese glaze for topping (optional)
Equipment
- 9×5-inch loaf pan
- Mixing bowls
- Electric mixer or whisk
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F and grease your 9×5-inch loaf pan really well with spray or butter for 1 minute.
- Mash bananas in a medium bowl until mostly smooth with some small lumps for about 2 minutes total time.
- Beat eggs and vegetable oil in a large bowl until mixed and a bit foamy for about 30 seconds.
- Add mashed bananas and red velvet cake mix to eggs and stir gently until just combined for 1 minute.
- Pour batter into a greased pan and smooth the top before putting it in the oven for baking right away.
- Bake for 50-55 minutes until a toothpick poked in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs on it.
- Cool bread in the pan for 15 minutes, then move to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing it up.
- Dust with powdered sugar or drizzle cream cheese glaze on top before cutting and enjoying right away. ENJOY!!!
Notes
- Bananas with lots of brown spots work best because they’re sweeter and make the bread super moist.
- Don’t mix too much after adding the cake mix, or your bread won’t be as soft and fluffy.
- Check your bread at 50 minutes with a toothpick because ovens bake differently and you don’t want dry bread.
- Keep leftovers wrapped tightly at room temperature for 3 days or in the fridge in a sealed container.
- Freeze the whole loaf wrapped really well for up to 3 months, and thaw on the counter overnight
