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A serving of dessert topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, being drizzled with caramel sauce, is plated in front of a glass of milk.
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Banana Dump Cake

🍌🍰⭐️ A ridiculously EASY dessert that feels almost too good to be true! Literally dump everything together in the cake pan, bake it, and the result is a cake that's pudding-like on the bottom and the top is a mix of gooey, buttery morsels and crispy cobbler bits! It's so GOOD! Salted caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream makes it taste like it's from a fancy restaurant dessert menu!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Cooling Time30 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Dessert
Keyword: banana cake, banana cake with cake mix, banana dump cake, cake mix with bananas
Servings: 12
Calories: 357cal

Equipment

Ingredients

Cake

  • 5 large bananas; divided very ripe (the browner and spottier, the better because overripe bananas are much sweeter, which is perfect)
  • 1 cup whole milk (whole milk or evaporated milk recommended; other nondairy milk such as almond, soy, or oat may be used; or lite coconut milk may be substituted)
  • ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans (omit if you don't eat nuts)
  • 15.25 ounce box yellow cake mix, or similar sized box (Pillsbury Supreme Yellow Cake Mix is what I use; Duncan Hines, Betty Crocker, or another trusted yellow cake mix is fine; see Notes below about other cake mix substitutions)
  • ½ cup dark brown sugar, packed (dark brown creates a richer more robust flavor in the sauce but light brown sugar is fine)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, or to taste (an equal amount of pumpkin pie spice may be used; or use a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice to taste)
  • ¾ cup cold unsalted butter, sliced into approximately 24 pats (1 1/2 sticks)

For Serving, optional

  • caramel sauce or salted caramel sauce (homemade or store bought)
  • vanilla ice cream
  • whipped cream or whipped topping (such as Cool Whip or ReddiWhip)

Instructions

  • Cake: Preheat oven to 350F and spray a 9x13-inch pan with cooking spray or grease the pan.
  • Add about 2 1/2 bananas into the pan and using a fork or potato masher, mash them and then distribute or spread them evenly.
    A white rectangular baking dish filled with a layer of mashed bananas spread evenly over the bottom.
  • Slice the remaining 2 1/2 bananas into thin bite-sized pieces and scatter them evenly over the mashed bananas.
    A white baking dish containing a layer of mashed bananas topped with evenly arranged banana slices.
  • Evenly pour milk over the banana layers (trust me here).
    A white baking dish filled with banana slices and covered in a milky liquid, viewed from above on a light-colored surface.
  • If you're using nuts, evenly sprinkle them over the pan.
    A white baking dish filled with sliced bananas, chopped walnuts, and milk.
  • Evenly sprinkle the dry cake mix over everything.
    Sprinkling Tip - Make sure it's as evenly sprinkled as possible over the surface of the pan because bigger blobs of cake mix in one area may create a dry or crumbly (undissolved) texture in the baked and finished cake.
    A white rectangular baking dish filled with an even layer of powdered white flour on a light-colored surface.
  • Evenly place and distribute the sliced pats of butter over the surface.
    A white baking dish filled with a layer of white powder, topped with evenly spaced square slices of butter.
  • To a small bowl, add the brown sugar, cinnamon, stir to combine.
    Spice Swap, optional - Feel free to swap the cinnamon for an equal amount of pumpkin pie spice; or use a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice).
    A white bowl filled with brown sugar and a scoop of ground cinnamon on top, sitting on a light-colored surface next to a metal fork.
  • Evenly sprinkle the mixture over the pan.
    Tip - Do not sir or mix the ingredients together. The layers will meld and combine perfectly in the oven as the cake bakes.
    A white baking dish filled with layered rectangular pieces dusted with a generous amount of brown cinnamon sugar mixture.
  • Bake the cake for 45-55 minutes, or until done. The cake is ready when the top is a deep golden brown and the liquid is bubbling thickly at the edges. Rotate pan once midway through baking for best results.
    Baking Tips - Because all ovens run differently, the exact number of ounces of cake mix in a box may vary from brand to brand, all pans and climates are different, baking times will vary. Keep an eye on it, check early, and know that the cake will also firm up as it cools.
    A baked cobbler with a golden-brown, slightly uneven crust in a white rectangular dish sits on a cooling rack.
  • Allow the cake to cool in a pan on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes.
    Cooling Tips - Because this cake is very moist, letting it rest for at least 30 minutes after baking will allow the sauce to thicken and the cake to set so that it is not soupy.
    A piece of crumbly cake topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream is served on a white plate.
  • Serving: Scoop the warm dump cake into bowls and optionally and as desired, drizzle generously with (salted) caramel sauce, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or whipped cream or whipped topping as desired.
    A close-up of a dessert topped with vanilla ice cream, caramel sauce, and chopped nuts, with a fork holding a bite above the plate.

Notes

*Cake Mix Substitutions: Spice cake, white cake, or butter pecan cake mix are excellent substitutes. For a chocolate-banana version, use a chocolate cake mix. A gluten-free yellow cake mix can also be used.
No Cake Mix? This recipe is intended to be made with cake mix. If you live in an area where you cannot buy cake mix or you don't want to use a boxed mix, this isn't the dessert for you since it's written with cake mix in mind. I suggest making any one of the banana cakes or banana breads in the recipes below the recipe card since they're all 100% from-scratch.
Storage: Cake will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. If desired, zap it in the microwave for 10-20 seconds, or as needed, before enjoying a portion of leftover cake.
A dessert topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream is drizzled with caramel sauce from a spoon. A glass of a creamy beverage and a baking dish are in the background.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 357cal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 33mg | Sodium: 364mg | Potassium: 261mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 32g | Vitamin A: 420IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 121mg | Iron: 1mg
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