Ingredients:

• 2 c sugar
• 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3 medium to large very ripe bananas, peeled and mashed
• 2 eggs
• 2 c all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 c buttermilk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• optional: 1/2 c chopped pecans

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare a greased and floured or parchment lined loaf pan. 
2. In a mixing bowl, sift together flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar until well combined (I like to use my stand mixer, but a hand mixer works too). Add in the mashed bananas. Then, add in one egg, beat into the mixture, then add second egg and beat into mixture. 
4. Once the butter, sugar, bananas and eggs are fully mixed, add the sifted dry ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk. Mix just until all ingredients are combined. 
5. Add the vanilla into the mixture and briefly beat it in. If you are adding the pecans, add those in and gently stir to combine into the mixture.
6. Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake in the oven for about 1 hour and 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.