# Classic Homemade Banana Bread

**Description:** Classic homemade banana bread is a warm, comforting loaf with a tender crumb and rich flavor, made with overripe bananas and minimal effort.
**Prep Time:** 15m | **Cook Time:** 1h 10m | **Servings:** 1 loaf (about 10 slices)

## Ingredients
* 1 3/4 cups All-purpose flour
* 1 cup Sugar
* 1 stick (113 g) Butter, softened
* 4 Ripe bananas, mashed
* 1/2 tsp Ground cinnamon
* 1 1/2 tsp Baking powder
* 1 tsp Baking soda
* 1 tsp Salt
* 2 Eggs
* 2 tbsp Milk
* 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract

## Instructions
1. **Preheat and Prepare the Pan**: Preheat the oven to 176°C (350°F) and grease a standard loaf pan.
2. **Cream the Butter and Sugar**: Beat the butter and sugar together until the mixture is light and creamy.
3. **Add the Eggs**: Beat in the eggs until fully combined and smooth.
4. **Mix in Bananas and Vanilla**: Add the mashed ripe bananas and vanilla, then mix until evenly incorporated.
5. **Fold in the Dry Ingredients**: Gently fold in the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt until just combined, then stir in the milk. Do not overmix, or the loaf will turn dense.
6. **Bake**: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. **Cool**: Cool the bread in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

## Notes / Tips
* The riper the bananas, the better: heavily speckled or brown bananas give the sweetest flavor and moistest crumb.
* Soften the butter at room temperature so it creams smoothly with the sugar.
* Ovens vary, so start checking with a toothpick at 1 hour. If the top browns too fast, loosely cover it with foil.
* Store the cooled loaf wrapped or in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days.

## Tags
#BananaBread #Cake #QuickBread #Baking #Dessert #Vegetarian