Banana Nut Bread with Pecans

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 or a potato masher until smooth. Leave a few small chunks for added texture if desired.

To the mashed bananas, add the granulated sugar and softened butter. Mix well until combined.

Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla extract until well blended.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring until just combined.

Fold in the chopped pecans, being careful not to overmix the batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula.

Bake in the preheated oven for 60-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Once baked, 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.