Jamaican Banana Bread

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9x5 inch loaf pan.

In a large mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork until smooth and creamy.

Add the softened butter and sugar to the bananas, and cream together until well combined.

Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and dark rum, and stir to combine.

In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to a tough bread.

If desired, fold in the chopped walnuts or pecans for added texture and flavor.

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

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

Once baked, remove the banana bread from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.