Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease your loaf pan very generously with butter or oil. Dust a little flour inside to make sure the bread releases perfectly after it finishes baking.

Peel the very ripe bananas and place them in a large mixing bowl for easy mashing today. Use a fork to crush them until no large chunks remain and the texture is smooth.

Stir the melted butter and granulated sugar into the bowl with the mashed bananas until well combined. Add the egg and vanilla extract and whisk gently until the mixture looks very creamy.

In a separate medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon together very well. This ensures the spices and the rising agent are spread evenly through the white flour.

Slowly pour the dry ingredients into the banana mixture and stir with your soft rubber spatula. Do not overmix the batter so the banana bread stays tender and does not get tough.

Pour the thick banana batter into your prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with the spatula. Tap the pan on the counter once to remove any large air bubbles inside the batter.

Place the pan in the center of the oven and bake for forty-five to fifty minutes total. The bread is ready when a toothpick comes out clean from the very center of the loaf.

Let the hot bread rest in the pan for ten minutes on a sturdy wire rack first. This allows the structure to set so the bread does not fall apart when you move it.

Carefully turn the loaf out of the pan and let it cool completely on the wire rack. Cooling the bread helps the sweet flavors develop and makes it much easier to slice neatly.

Cut the bread into thick slices and serve them warm with a little bit of salted butter. Enjoy the soft texture and the wonderful tropical sweetness of your homemade banana bread treat.