For best results use really ripe bananas. As in, too ripe to eat but not yet funky enough to throw out. They'll make the loaf more moist and sweet compared to a loaf made with bananas which are just "eating" ripe.
If you have extra loaves, the banana bread freezes very well. Wrap it up tight and freeze it until ready to use for 1-2 months.
Makes one 4.5x8.5-inch loaf.
Preheat oven to 350º F. Lightly grease or spray with cooking spray a 4.5"x8.5" loaf pan. For easier removal of the loaf, line the bottom of the loaf pan with parchment paper and then lightly grease or spray the parchment.
Sift or whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt until well blended. Set aside.
In a large bowl or mixer, cream together sugar and butter until light and fluffy, at least a couple minutes - see note below recipe. Add bananas, eggs, and vanilla extract and beat until well blended.
Stir flour mixture and chocolate chips into the banana mixture until just combined (for best texture we will stir in by hand just until no white streaks of flour remain). Be careful not to over mix.
Pour batter into the prepared loaf pans. Bake for about 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean (chocolate on the toothpick doesn't count). The house should be filled with the scent of fresh banana bread.
Allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing the loaf from the pan. Loosen the edges, then lift out of the pan (if using parchment) or loosen the bottom and pop out.
Notes
Cooking Tip: If you find the center isn't cooking through all the way and sinks after removing it from the oven, it is usually caused by one or two things.
The butter and sugar wasn't creamed together well enough. It doesn't happen often to us when we use a stand mixer, but sometimes when using a hand mixer, the butter and sugar aren't creamed together enough. The batter then won't be aerated enough, making it too dense and not allowing it to bake all the way through the center.
Your oven it too hot. Especially older ovens will fall out of calibration. Use an oven temperature gauge to see if your oven is baking at the correct temperature.