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    Decorated Treats » Recipes » Bread & Pastry Recipes

    Easy Moist Banana Bread Loaf with Oil (No Butter)

    Published: May 12, 2021 · Modified: Jul 31, 2023 by Priya Maha

    Jump to Recipe

    This banana bread loaf is a classic, old-fashioned recipe. Made using oil instead of butter, this is a super easy recipe and has a perfectly moist texture for the best ever banana bread!

    You only need 5 main ingredients to make this banana bread loaf - flour, oil, sugar, banana, and egg. And of course, there is also baking soda, salt, and vanilla extract, but these are not the main ones.

    Close up of sliced banana bread loaf.
    Simple Banana Bread Recipe with Oil - Easy, Moist & Quick Bread Recipe
    Jump to:
    • ❤️Why you will love this recipe
    • Banana Bread vs Banana Cake
    • 📋Ingredients
    • 🧾Substitution and Variations
    • 👩‍🍳How to Make
    • 🍽️Serving & storage
    • 💡Expert Tips
    • 💭FAQs
    • ❤️More Recipes You Will Love
    • 📖Recipe

    ❤️Why you will love this recipe

    • This is an easy banana bread recipe and I kept it as classic and old-fashioned as possible.
    • This is a quick recipe you can whip up any time when you have overripe bananas at home.
    • The recipe requires only 3 to 4 bananas (medium sized) and the bread is made using oil which means there is no butter in it.
    • This great recipe is also without milk and without baking powder and makes a single loaf banana bread, perfect of those who are looking to make a small loaf of delicious banana bread.
    • You can use this recipe to make chocolate chip banana bread or banana nut bread or a banana bread with both chocolate chips and nuts.
    • The bread is great for breakfast or simply as a delicious snack.

    Like this recipe? Here are my other posts you might want to check out:

    • Homemade White Bread Loaf
    • Banana Butter Cake
    • Fudgy Chocolate Banana Cake (A Perfect Snack Cake)
    • Banana Pound Cake

    Banana Bread vs Banana Cake

    • Banana bread is not the same as banana cake. Very often, we see the term banana bread being used for banana cakes baked in loaf tins too. While both the bread and the cake are made using mostly the same ingredients, there is an obvious difference between these two types of banana treats, at least in my recipes.

    1. Ingredients

    • Both the banana bread loaf and banana cake use flour, oil or butter, eggs, sugar and bananas. While cakes often use self-raising flour and have added baking powder and baking soda to it, the banana bread contains only baking soda and made using plain flour.
    • Also, banana cakes have more liquid added to them (in the form of milk, or buttermilk), but in the case of banana bread, the only liquid that goes into them is the oil or melted butter. Even then, it is in smaller quantities compared to that used for cakes (like my banana pound cake here which does not contain any additional liquid added to it but has a ratio of butter to flour of 1:1. My banana bread has a ratio of oil to flour of 1:3.75).

    2. Texture

    • Banana cakes are soft, and fluffy. Banana bread, on the other hand, is heavier and denser. It is soft and moist nevertheless but has a sturdier structure than a cake.

    3. Taste

    • Unlike normal bread made with yeast, banana bread loaf is sweeter and has a prominent banana taste. Overall, it tends to sway more towards a cake rather than a bread if not for its dense texture.
    • In comparison, banana breads are slightly less sweet and not as buttery as a cake. This makes it suitable for breakfast, and is excellent when served warm with some butter on it.

    4. Baking time

    • A banana bread loaf requires a much longer baking time. Typically, for a small-sized bread loaf (like in my recipe below), the baking time is between 55 minutes to 1 hour. Cakes normally require 40 to 50 minutes to bake.
    • The longer baking time is because these bread are often baked in loaf tins and rise considerably well during baking. Given the taller size of the banana bread loaf, a longer baking time is necessary.

    5. Serving

    • Both the banana bread and banana cake can be served plain.
    • Other than being served plain, banana cakes are typically served with frosting (either buttercream, cream cheese frosting, or ganache). Banana bread loaf on the other hand almost never has any icing or frosting. In fact, the loaf is best cut into slices and eaten warm with some butter (like a toast) or spread with peanut butter or Nutella, or drizzled with honey or maple syrup.
    Top view of bread.
    Moist Banana Bread with Oil - the Best Banana Bread Recipe

    📋Ingredients

    All purpose flour, oil, brown sugar, egg, bananas, baking soda, salt and vanilla extract against a marble background.
    Banana Bread Ingredients
    • All purpose flour + baking soda + salt - these are best combined and sifted together so that the baking powder is well dispersed in the flour. Use fine salt.
    • Brown sugar - sweetens the banana bread. Both light or dark brown sugar will work for this recipe.
    • Oil - helps with the lovely moist texture of this banana bread. Use any odorless vegetable oil like sunflower oil or canola oil.
    • Egg - use large egg.
    • Bananas - for best banana flavor, use overripe bananas.
    • Vanilla extract - adds a lovely aroma and flavor to the banana bread.

    *Refer to the recipe card below for full list of ingredients and exact quantities. For best results, use a digital kitchen scale where applicable*

    🧾Substitution and Variations

    • This bread is best made with oil. If you do not want to use oil, you can also substitute it with butter. However, take note to melt and cool the butter first.
    • For flavor variations, you can add 50g of chocolate chips into the bread batter to make chocolate chip banana bread.
    • You can also add 50g of toasted nuts into your banana bread batter before pouring it into a loaf tin to make banana nut bread.
    • You can also make the bread with both the chocolate chips and nuts. Use 50g of each of the chocolate chips and the nuts.
    Front section of a banana bread with chocolate chips and nuts.
    Banana bread with chocolate chips and pecan nuts

    This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you do try, please let me know in the comments section below!

    👩‍🍳How to Make

    Mixing the batter

    A poster of 6 images showing how to mix batter.
    1. Start by peeling all the bananas.
    2. Place them on a plate and mash them up with a fork or a potato masher. This is the best way to mesh the bananas. Set aside.
    3. In a large bowl, sift the flour, baking soda and salt.
    4. Add the brown sugar and mix it into the flour until well combined.
    5. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.
    6. Add the mashed bananas mixture.
    A poster of 6 images showing how to bake banana bread.
    1. Next, add the oil, egg and vanilla extract.
    2. Beat the wet ingredients and dry ingredients mixture briefly with an electric mixer, starting from the center, until the ingredients are just combined.
    3. Scrape the sides of the bowl and use a spatula to mix in any streaks of flour that is left un-mixed.
    4. Pour the banana bread batter into a well-greased loaf pan measuring 8 inches by 4 inches. Level the top.
    5. Bake the banana bread loaf at an oven temperature of 165°Celsius for 55 to 60 minutes until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the baked bread from the oven and let it rest in the tin for a few minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
    6. Slice the loaf only when it's completely cool, for neater slices.

    Store the bread in an airtight container.

    Banana bread with some cut into slices.
    Perfect Banana Bread with Oil - Classis, Easy, Simple and Delicious Homemade Banana Bread

    🍽️Serving & storage

    • To ensure your banana bread remains moist, keep it covered with a kitchen towel when cooling on a wire rack. Also, once it is completely cooled down, keep it in a covered container or keep it wrapped in plastic wrap. This will prevent it from becoming dry and retain its moistness.
    • The banana bread can be kept at room temperature for a good 4 to 5 days. If you wish to keep it longer, refrigerate it. Always ensure you put the bread loaf in an airtight container in the fridge and never leave it open as that will dry it out.

    💡Expert Tips

    • This old-fashioned and basic banana bread loaf is best made with well-ripened yellow bananas (those with plenty of brown spots on the skin). These are the best bananas as they are most flavorful, easy to mash, and work best for this banana bread.
    • The best tip to ensure the banana bread slices are cut neat is to allow the bread to cool down completely. Using a serrated bread knife to slice the bread helps too.

    💭FAQs

    Can you substitute oil with butter?

    This banana bread is best made with oil. For best results, you can use vegetable oils such as olive oil, sunflower oil or canola oil. The oil is the secret ingredient in making this banana bread really moist.

    If you want to use butter, make sure to melt it first.

    Can you substitute brown sugar with white sugar?

    Yes, you can.

    White sugar tends to be sweeter than brown sugar and you may need to adjust the amount slightly if you do not want your bread to be overly sweet.

    The front of a banana bread loaf after slicing.
    Banana Bread without Butter - Easy Super Moist Banana Bread Recipe with Oil

    ❤️More Recipes You Will Love

    • A loaf of banana pound cake with some slice cut.
      Banana Pound Cake
    • Dark Chocolate Banana Cake with Buttermilk (Super Moist!)
    • Cream cheese rosettes on a cupcake.
      Cream Cheese Frosting without Butter
    • A loaf cake cut into slices on a white cloth.
      Banana Butter Cake (Easy & Moist)

    Do you like this recipe? Please leave a 5-star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐rating in the recipe card below and consider a review further down this page. I would love to hear from you. Thank you!

    📖Recipe

    Close up of sliced banana bread loaf.

    Easy Moist Banana Bread Loaf with Oil (No Butter)

    This 4 banana bread loaf is made without butter and is the easiest ever! Made using oil, this loaf is super moist and quick to make.
    4.50 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Breakfast
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 50 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes
    Yield: 1 Eight inches by four inches loaf
    Author: Priya Maha
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Metric - US Customary

    For best results, use the metrics measurements. US customary measurements have not been tested and are only meant for guide.

    Ingredients

    • 300 g all purpose flour
    • 80 ml oil
    • 265 g bananas (approximately 4 medium-sized bananas)
    • 175 g brown sugar
    • 1 egg
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    Metric - US Customary

    Instructions

    • Peel the bananas. Place them on a plate and mash them up with a fork. Set aside.
    • In a large bowl, sift the all purpose flour, baking soda and salt.
    • Add the brown sugar and mix it into the flour until well combined.
    • Make a well in the center and add the mashed bananas.
    • Next, add the oil, egg and vanilla essence.
    • Beat the mixture briefly, starting from the center, until the ingredients are just combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl and use a spatula to mix in any flour that is left un-mixed on the sides of the bowl.
    • Pour the batter into a well-greased and floured loaf pan measuring 8 inches by 4 inches. Level the top.
    • Bake the banana bread loaf at 165°Celsius for 55 to 60 minutes until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
    • Remove the loaf from the oven and let it rest in the tin for a few minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
    • For neater slices, cut the loaf only after it has completely cooled down.
    • Store the bread in an airtight container.

    Notes

      • This bread is best made with oil. Oil can be substituted with cooled melted butter.
      • To make chocolate chip banana bread, add 50g of chocolate chips into the batter after adding the bananas.
      • To make banana nut bread, add 50g of toasted walnuts into the banana bread batter after adding the bananas.
      • You can also make the bread with both the chocolate chips and nuts. Use 50g of each of the chocolate chips and the nuts.
      • To ensure the banana bread slices are cut neat, allow the bread to cool down completely. Using a serrated bread knife to slice the bread helps too.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 2774.5kcal | Carbohydrates: 461.9g | Protein: 39.6g | Fat: 88g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 163.7mg | Sodium: 2377.6mg | Potassium: 1569.3mg | Fiber: 15g | Sugar: 203.7g | Vitamin A: 407.2IU | Vitamin C: 23.1mg | Calcium: 229.3mg | Iron: 16.6mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @decorated_treats or tag #decoratedtreats!

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    Close up of sliced banana bread loaf.

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