Starbucks Style Banana Bread

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan or line it with parchment paper.

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

In a separate bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs one at a time to the butter mixture, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.

Combine the mashed bananas into the butter mixture, mixing until well incorporated.

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

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

If using, fold in the chopped walnuts gently into the batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top with a spatula.

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

Once baked, allow the banana bread to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.