Preheat Oven: Start by preheating your oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit). Allow it to preheat for at least 20 minutes to ensure it reaches the correct temperature.

Prepare Baking Pan: While the oven is preheating, prepare your baking pan. Grease a bread loaf tin (approximately 7.5 x 4 x 2.5 inches) or a round cake pan (around 7.5 x 2 inches) thoroughly with oil, or line it with parchment paper.

Prepare Banana Puree: In a mixing bowl, combine sliced ripe bananas and sugar. Mash them thoroughly with a vegetable masher, or puree them using a hand blender or regular blender until smooth.

Add Wet Ingredients: Next, incorporate the oil, vanilla, cinnamon powder (if using), and nutmeg powder (if using) into the banana puree. Mix briskly with a wired whisk or spatula for 2-3 minutes until the oil is completely and evenly blended with the banana mixture.

Sieve Dry Ingredients: Directly into the bowl with the banana mixture, sieve in the whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

Gently Fold the Batter: Crucially, gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Do not mix or stir vigorously, as this can deflate the batter and develop gluten, leading to a tough bread. Use a "cut and fold" technique to ensure all ingredients are evenly combined while maintaining the batter's volume.

Note on Consistency: The batter should be thick but not flat or stringy. If it appears too thick or dry, add ¼ to ⅓ cup of water or nut milk and gently fold to reach the right consistency.

Incorporate Optional Add-ins: Finally, if desired, add the sunflower seeds (or other mix-ins) and gently fold them into the batter until evenly distributed.

Transfer to Pan: Pour the prepared banana bread batter into your greased loaf pan.

Bake the Bread: Place the loaf pan in your preheated oven and bake at 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit) for 30 to 40 minutes.

Check for Doneness: The bread is fully baked when a toothpick or bamboo skewer inserted into the center comes out completely clean, with no wet batter clinging to it.

Important Note on Timing: Baking times can vary significantly between ovens and depending on your pan size. Keep a close eye on your bread, but avoid opening the oven door until the bread is at least ¾ of the way done to ensure a good rise.

Cooling: Once baked, remove the loaf pan from the oven and place it on a wired rack to cool completely. Once cooled, gently remove the banana bread from the pan.

Serve & Store: Slice and serve your homemade banana bread as desired. Any remaining loaf can be wrapped tightly in cling film or stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. For the best texture, you can warm the banana bread slightly before serving if it has been refrigerated.