Step 1: Preheat the oven

• Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease the loaf tin and line it with parchment paper.

Step 2: Mash the bananas

• In a large mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork until smooth but slightly lumpy for texture.

Step 3: Cream the butter and sugar

• In another bowl, beat the softened butter and caster sugar together until light and fluffy.

Step 4: Combine wet ingredients

• Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the mashed bananas and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth.

Step 5: Add dry ingredients

• Sift the plain flour and baking powder into the wet ingredients. Gently fold the mixture until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
• If using add-ins like nuts or chocolate chips, fold them in now.

Step 6: Pour into the loaf tin

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

Step 7: Bake the banana bread

• Bake in the preheated oven for 50–55 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.

Step 8: Cool and serve

• Allow the banana bread to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely. Slice and enjoy!