Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease and flour a standard 23cm x 13cm (9x5 inch) loaf pan, or line it with parchment paper. This ensures the bread doesn't stick and helps with easy removal.

In a large bowl, mash the ripe bananas until they are smooth. You can use a fork or a potato masher. Ensure there are no large lumps for a consistent texture in the bread.

Add the melted butter (115g or 1/2 cup) to the mashed bananas and stir until well combined. Then, whisk in the eggs (2 large) and vanilla extract (5ml or 1 tsp) until the mixture is smooth and homogenous.

In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour (250g or 2 cups), granulated sugar (150g or 3/4 cup), baking soda (5g or 1 tsp), salt (3g or 1/2 tsp), and ground cinnamon (2.5g or 1/2 tsp), if using. Whisking dry ingredients together ensures even distribution of leavening agents and seasonings.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix with a spatula or wooden spoon until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; a few streaks of flour are acceptable. Overmixing can develop gluten too much, resulting in a tough bread.

Gently fold in the chocolate chips (150g or 1 cup) into the batter. Reserve a tablespoon or two to sprinkle on top if desired.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread it evenly. If you reserved some chocolate chips, sprinkle them over the top of the batter.

Bake in the preheated oven for 50-65 minutes, or until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. The top should be golden brown and the edges should be pulling away slightly from the sides of the pan.

Once baked, remove the loaf pan from the oven and let the banana bread cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 10-15 minutes. This allows the bread to set properly.

After 10-15 minutes, carefully invert the loaf pan to remove the banana bread. Place it directly onto the wire rack to cool completely before slicing. Cooling completely is crucial for clean slices and the best texture.