This Banana Bread Dump Cake Is So Easy, It Practically Makes Itself

Skip the slices of banana bread at breakfast, and make this easy dump cake recipe for dessert instead. We've kept the ripe bananas and chopped pecans but added in yellow cake mix and a brown sugar sauce. You can have this entire shortcut dessert prepped and baked in an hour. Top the finished dessert with homemade whipped cream, ice cream, or yogurt. It's also delicious with a drizzle of caramel sauce.

Tips for Making Banana Bread Dump Cake

Keep these Test Kitchen tips in mind when making this recipe for banana dump cake.

• You will want to purchase 2 to 2 1/2 pounds of bananas for this recipe. This is the place to use ripe bananas. You'll know they're ready when they have a significant amount of brown spots on the peel. If the bananas aren't ripe enough, the dessert won't be as sweet or have that classic banana bread flavor.
• We loved the flavor that chopped pecans added to the topping, but walnuts or pistachios would be delicious as well.
• If you don't have a yellow cake mix, swap in a white mix instead.
• When assembling the dump cake, don't worry if you have a few dry patches of cake mix. They'll moisten up as the cake bakes.