Best Banana Bread Recipe in the World

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan with butter or cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork until smooth. You can leave a few small lumps for texture if desired.

Stir in the melted butter into the mashed bananas until combined.

Add the sugar, beaten eggs, and vanilla extract to the banana mixture. Mix well until all ingredients are well combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the baking soda, salt, and flour. Gradually add this dry mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring until just combined. Do not overmix!

If using, fold in the chopped walnuts or pecans into the batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread it evenly with a spatula.

Bake in the preheated oven for 60-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.