Preheat oven to 375ºF, and grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.
In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes).
½ cup unsalted butter, 1 cup granulated sugar
Add the eggs and vanilla, and continue mixing until fully incorporated.
2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Next, add the bananas and mix until smooth and no chunks remain.
3 bananas
Last, add the baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and flour. Mix until everything is just combined without over mixing.
1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, 2 cups all-purpose flour
Stir in walnuts or pecans if using.
1 cup walnuts
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 15 minutes. Then reduce the temperature to 350ºF. Bake for an additional 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If the bread appears to be browning quickly, make a foil tent to cover it during the last 20-30 minutes of baking.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before slicing.
Notes
*Please see the post for step-by-step photos, answers to questions, and more instructions about the recipe.*We used a metal loaf pan for this recipe. If using a glass pan, the times and temperatures may need to be adjusted.*To prevent over browning on the bottom of the bread, place a sheet pan underneath the loaf pan during the baking process.