Ingredients:

  • 3 very ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 ½ cups / 340g)
  • ⅓ cup (80ml) melted unsalted butter, cooled slightly
  • ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cups (192g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • Optional: ½ cup (50g) chopped walnuts or chocolate chips

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9x5 inch loaf pan. Important: This prevents sticking and ensures easy removal of your beautiful loaf!
  2. In the large mixing bowl, combine mashed bananas, melted butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla extract. Whisk until well combined.
  3. In the same bowl, add flour, baking soda, and salt. Gently fold until just combined. Avoid overmixing! This leads to a tough bread.
  4. If using, stir in chopped walnuts or chocolate chips.
  5. Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan.
  6. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top starts to brown too quickly, loosely cover with foil.
  7. Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.