Preheat the oven: Start by setting your oven to 350°F (175°C). This ensures it’s nice and hot when your batter is ready.

Prepare your pan: Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan with butter or line it with parchment paper for easy removal after baking. This step is essential for a smooth release once the bread is baked.

Mash the bananas: In a large bowl, mash your 3 ripe bananas with a fork until smooth. A few lumps are okay, but make sure there are no large chunks. The riper the bananas, the sweeter and more flavorful your bread will be.

Mix wet ingredients: In the same bowl, add the melted butter, eggs, and vanilla extract to the mashed bananas. Stir until everything is well combined. This creates a smooth, wet base for the dry ingredients to blend into.

Combine dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Sifting the flour beforehand helps eliminate any lumps and makes for a lighter loaf.

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients: Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Stir until just combined—don’t overmix! Overmixing can lead to dense banana bread, and we’re aiming for soft and fluffy.

Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Place it in the oven and bake for 60-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Every oven is different, so keep an eye on it. If the top starts to brown too quickly, you can cover it loosely with foil to prevent burning.

Cool: Once baked, remove the banana bread from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Then, transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.