Moist Bran Muffins with Molasses

Before you start

Most dry bran muffins fail for one reason: raw wheat bran is thirsty, and if it goes into the batter dry it pulls water from everything around it as it bakes. Soaking the bran in buttermilk for 15 minutes before mixing softens the flakes and lets them hold moisture instead of stealing it. The result is a tender, almost fudgy muffin with a fine, dark crumb.

Molasses gives the deep color and a slightly bitter, mineral sweetness that suits bran; brown sugar rounds it out and keeps the muffins soft for days. Use unprocessed wheat bran flakes, not bran cereal, for this formula; cereal is already sweetened and absorbs liquid differently. Raisins are traditional but optional.

Ingredients

• Soaker90 g (1½ cups) unprocessed wheat bran
• 300 ml (1¼ cups) buttermilk
• Batter160 g (1⅓ cups, spooned and leveled) all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp fine salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 large egg
• 100 g (½ cup packed) dark brown sugar
• 85 g (¼ cup) unsulphured molasses — not blackstrap
• 80 ml (⅓ cup) neutral oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 100 g (⅔ cup) raisins — optional

Method

1. Stir the wheat bran and buttermilk together in a large bowl and let it stand for 15 minutes, until the bran has darkened and the mixture looks like thick, wet oatmeal. Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F) and line or grease the pan.
2. Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a separate bowl.
3. Add the egg, brown sugar, molasses, oil and vanilla to the soaked bran and whisk until smooth and evenly brown, with no streaks of molasses.
4. Add the dry ingredients and fold until barely combined. Fold in the raisins. The batter will be loose and glossy, looser than most muffin batters, which is what you want.
5. Fill each cup about three-quarters full. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, until the tops spring back when pressed and a toothpick comes out clean. Because the batter is so dark, rely on the touch test rather than color.
6. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then move them to a rack. They taste even better after a few hours as the crumb settles.

Tips for success

• Plump hard raisins by covering them with hot water for 5 minutes and draining well before folding them in.
• Pull the muffins when the center just springs back. A couple of extra minutes is the difference between moist and dry with bran.
• Measure molasses in a lightly oiled cup so it slides out completely.

Substitutions

Buttermilk

Use 300 ml milk with 1 tbsp lemon juice stirred in, or plain yogurt thinned with milk. The tang and tenderness are slightly milder.

Molasses

Honey or maple syrup gives a lighter, sweeter muffin with less depth and a paler crumb.

All-purpose flour

Whole wheat flour works at the same weight. The muffins are denser and nuttier; add 1 to 2 tbsp extra buttermilk.

Variations

Orange date bran muffins

Swap the raisins for chopped dates and add the grated zest of 1 orange with the wet ingredients.

Make-ahead batter

Cover the mixed batter and refrigerate for up to 2 days; scoop and bake cold, adding 2 to 3 minutes.

Troubleshooting

Dry, crumbly muffins

The bran was not soaked, or the muffins overbaked. Always soak for the full 15 minutes and start checking at 15 minutes of baking.

Bitter, harsh flavor

Blackstrap molasses was used, or the soda was not evenly mixed. Use regular unsulphured molasses and whisk the dry ingredients thoroughly.

Sunken centers

Too much liquid or too little time in the oven. Measure the bran by weight; spooned volume varies widely because the flakes are so light.

Storage

Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Freeze individually wrapped muffins for up to 3 months; thaw at room temperature or microwave for 20 seconds.

Safety notes

The raw batter contains egg and flour; bake before eating. Refrigerated batter must stay at 4°C (40°F) or below. Contains wheat, egg and milk.