Janet’s Classic Banana Bread

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

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

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

Mix in the sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract until thoroughly blended.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture, stirring gently until just incorporated. If using, fold in the chopped walnuts or pecans.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.

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

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