Kid-Friendly Banana Bread Cupcakes

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.

In a large mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork until smooth. You should have about 1 1/2 cups of mashed bananas.

Stir in the melted butter and granulated sugar until well combined.

Add the eggs and vanilla extract to the banana mixture, whisking until fully incorporated.

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

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring until just combined. Be mindful not to overmix.

If using, fold in the chocolate chips at this stage for a delicious chocolatey twist.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling each cupcake liner about two-thirds full.

Bake for about 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean.

Once baked, allow the cupcakes to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before removing them to a wire rack to cool completely.