Banana Bread (Oil-based)

I said FOREVER ago that I wanted to give you a few of my favorite recipes even though they called for butter or Crisco but wanted to follow it up with an almost-as-good oil-based recipe. I did this for blueberry muffins (with Crisco and with oil). And I actually have to say that since I was given the oil-based blueberry muffin recipe that it probably ranks right up there with the shortening one--I think I like them about equally now and tend to make the oil-based one more often because its a little easier to throw together! Back then I gave you my favorite banana bread recipe. I still say it wins out as a favorite over other banana breads, but I've found this oil-based recipe which is also excellent. I think I got it off the Food Network. I have made this a bunch of times now. The cinnamon gives it a little twist which is nice, but doesn't have a strong cinnamon flavor. You could leave it out if you wanted. I made this recipe and baked them as muffins over the holidays to give to local friends and workers in our neighborhood. We probably made 100 muffins. This recipe was SUPER easy (and cheap) to throw together in double and triple batches and bake up quickly.

Banana Bread (Oil-based)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
4 medium-sized very ripe bananas
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup oil
1 tsp cinnamon

Grease and flour one 9x5 inch loaf pan (or 2 7x3's). In a large bowl, cream together eggs and sugar. Beat in bananas, vanilla, oil, and cinnamon. Sift in flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stirring just until combined. Put batter in prepared pan(s) and bake at 350F (180C) for about 1 hour. Bread is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or when it springs back to a light touch.

Notes: You can get by with just 3 bananas, too. I usually just break my bananas into my batter and then beat with a hand mixer to combine, leaving some small chucks in there. I do not pre-mash my bananas but you can if you prefer to do that. You can read my comments on that in the other post for my favorite banana bread! I almost always make this in 2 7x3 inch loaf pans rather than one large one.