Nutty Banana Bread

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

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

Add the softened butter to the mashed bananas and mix until well combined.

Stir in the granulated sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth.

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

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

Fold in the chopped nuts, distributing them evenly throughout the batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth 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. Keep an eye on the bread; if the top is browning too quickly, you can tent it with aluminum foil.

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