Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). This ensures that your banana bread bakes evenly.
Grease your loaf pan with butter or non-stick spray to prevent sticking.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. This should take about 3-5 minutes with an electric mixer.
Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Then, stir in the vanilla extract.
Mash the ripe bananas in a separate bowl and then add them to the mixture, along with the buttermilk. Stir until combined.
In another bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; some lumps are okay!
If you're using nuts or chocolate chips, fold them into the batter gently.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
Bake in the preheated oven for 60-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Once baked, remove the bread from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Then, transfer it to a cooling rack to cool completely before slicing.
