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2 to 3 very ripe bananas, peeled (about 1 ¼ to 1 ½ cups mashed)

⅓ cup melted butter, unsalted or salted

1 teaspoon baking soda

Pinch of salt

¾ cup sugar (½ cup if you would like it less sweet, 1 cup if more sweet)

1 large egg, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 ½ cups of all-purpose flour

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1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C): Butter an 8x4-inch loaf pan.

2. Mash the bananas and add the butter: In a mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork until completely smooth. Stir the melted butter into the mashed bananas.

3. Mix in the remaining ingredients: Mix in the baking soda and salt. Stir in the sugar, beaten egg, and vanilla extract. Mix in the flour.

4. Bake the bread: Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes at 350°F (175°C), or until a toothpick or wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. A few dry crumbs are okay; streaks of wet batter are not. If the outside of the loaf is browned but the center is still wet, loosely tent the loaf with foil and continue baking until the loaf is fully baked.

5. Cool and serve: Remove from oven and let cool in the pan for a few minutes. Then remove the banana bread from the pan and let cool completely before serving. Slice and serve. (A bread knife helps to make slices that aren't crumbly.) Wrapped well, the banana bread will keep at room temperature for 4 days. For longer storage, refrigerate the loaf up to 5 days, or freeze it .

FROM THE EDITORS OF SIMPLY RECIPES

The Best Loaf Pan for This Recipe

This recipe calls for an 8x4-inch loaf pan, which produces a tall loaf. The recipe will also work in an 8 ½x4 ½-inch loaf pan, producing a slightly shorter bread. Since the pan is a bit larger, the bake time is shorter: 47 to 57 minutes. A 9x5-inch pan will yield an especially short but still delicious bread; bake for 45 to 55 minutes.

How Our Readers Adapt This Banana Bread Recipe

Natalie: "I added a drizzle of maple syrup on top, plus some blueberries. I also switched out the flour for 1 cup of almond meal and 1 cup of gluten-free flour."

Roberta: "Added mini chocolate chips in batter and topped with crumb topping. Excellent!"

Eleanor: "I was out of eggs, so I substituted with a flax egg and it turned out perfectly! A tablespoon of flaxseed with 2 ½ tablespoons of water and let rest for 5-10 minutes in place of the egg."

Monica: "The BEST banana bread recipe there is. I sprinkle demerara sugar on top before baking and it gives it a delicious crunch!"

Lisa: "I’ve been making this loaf for years. I always add a tablespoon or two of molasses, which gives a punchier flavor and darker color. I make it with chocolate chips for the kids and with cranberries and pecans for the adults."

LeRoy: "My wife, Mary created "Elvis Bread" and added half a bag of Reese's Peanut Butter Chips."

Marione: "THE BEST banana bread I’ve made. I added pineapple tidbits and substituted part of white sugar with brown sugar."