The secret to creating a moist muffin is the ensure the ratio of flour to bran is 1:1. The flavour in this recipe which I adapted from Cooks Illustrated has been enhanced by including vanilla, warm spices, and molasses.
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The Most Nutritious AND Moist Bran Muffins
These muffins give you that heart healthy kick while being moist and flavourful.
Servings 12 muffins
Equipment
- silicon muffin cups
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup whole-wheat flour
- 1 ¼ tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp. ground allspice
- ½ tsp. fresh grated nutmeg
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- ½ cup dark brown sugar packed
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp. molasses
- 1 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 ½ cups wheat bran
- 1 cup raisins
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees.
- Prepare a 12 (1/2 cup) or 6 (1 cup) muffin tins with paper or silicon cups. Alternatively you can lightly grease with butter.
- Mix flour through nutmeg in medium bowl; set aside.Beat butter in large bowl of electric mixer or with handheld mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add brown sugar, increase speed to medium-high, and beat until combined and fluffy, about 1 minute longer.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly before adding the next. Beat in vanilla and molasses until thoroughly combined and creamy, about 1 minute longer.
- Reduce speed to low; beat in buttermilk and half the flour mixture until combined, about 1 minute. Beat in remaining flour mixture until incorporated and slightly curdled looking, about 1 minute longer, scraping sides of bowl as necessary. Stir in bran and raisins.
- Divide batter evenly among molds using spoon or ice cream scoop. Bake until a toothpick inserted into center withdraws cleanly or with a few moist particles adhering to it, about 25 minutes.
- Set on a wire rack to cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Remove muffins from tin and serve warm.
Notes
*you can make your own buttermilk by adding a splash of lemon juice or vinegar to your measured milk and let it sit for 5 minutes until the milk curdles.