These bran muffins bake up moist and chewy. They're so good that my in-laws, Reed and Nancy, make a batch every couple of days for snacking. This is another recipe that shows how buttermilk works to tenderize and lighten many baked goods. Bran retains much of its natural oil and can quickly turn rancid, so always store it in the refrigerator or freezer. I like to use unprocessed sugar crystals (don't confuse this with brown sugar) to complement the bran's whole grain taste. Each muffin has over 2 grams of fiber.
Recipe information
Yield
Makes 12 muffins
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°.
Step 2
Lightly spray twelve 2 1/4 x 1 1/2-inch nonstick muffin cups with oil.
Step 3
In a medium bowl, whisk the bran, flours, baking soda, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
Step 4
In another medium bowl, using a handheld eletric mixer set at high speed, beat the buttermilk, sugar, applesauce, egg, oil and vanilla until frothy, about two minutes. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and pour in the buttermilk mixture. Using a spoon, stir just until combined. Do not overmix.
Step 5
Divide the batter equally among the prepared muffin cups. Bake unti the tops spring back when pressed gently in the center, about 20 minutes. Do not overbake. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes before removing from the cups. Serve warm or cool completely on the rack.
