These bran muffins are really wonderful. They are simple, freeze nicely, taste wonderful, and my kids eat them well. I've made them a few times for friends who've have babies, because they are easy to grab out of the freezer, warm in the microwave, and eat when you have absolutely no time to eat anything or prepare breakfast.
The only unique thing you need on hand is buttermilk. Surprisingly, I actually buy it regularly now for quite a few things - Homemade Ranch Dressing and quite a few of my baking recipes. In high school I would have died. Buttermilk isn't something that is normal for kids to grow up with.
Its a large recipe. Can't have any, "oh I'll just try one." Nope, need to be serious about this one.
The recipe is originally from my time working at Dutch East Indies Coffee Company in Pella, IA while I was in high school. We would make a batch of batter and leave it in the fridge and use as needed to make fresh bran muffins for customers. Except we baked them in the huge muffin tin with six large muffins - like the one that you could share your bran muffin if you cut it in half. We'd serve it with a side of Apple Butter. The original recipe also has three cups of white sugar! Whoa. Two cups is adequate, unless you are wanting to sell them at a bake sale and make an impression. I use one cup brown and one cup white.
I usually bake a few normal sized ones for myself, and then bake mini muffins with sprinkles on top for the kids.
The buttermilk in the recipe allows the batter to be stored in your fridge for up a month to six weeks. That's the whole first part of your summer! So rather than baking the whole huge recipe at once, bake your self fresh muffins each morning!
DEI Bran Muffins
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
1 box All Bran Cereal (15oz) (I prefer original bran - the straw looking ones. Might not need the whole box if it is bigger than 15 ounces. Just leave a cup of cereal in the box, that's what I do. I think they've changed the box size since I was in high school)
1 Cup melted butter
2 Cups hot water
1 Cup brown sugar
1 Cup white sugar
4 eggs
1 quart buttermilk
5 Cups flour
5 tsp soda
2 tsp salt
Its a big recipe, so pull out your biggest bowl. Its easy enough to mix by hand. Dump in the cereal, and pour melted butter and hot water on top. Mix to blend in the bran so it loses its straw looking shape. Add Sugar, Eggs, Buttermilk and mix. Add Flour, Soda and Salt. Mix all together and your done! Spray your muffin tins and fill them 2/3 full. Now Bake some to eat, some to freeze, some for your friend who just had a baby and put the rest in an ice cream bucket for your fridge!
Bake in 350 degree oven for 10-15 minutes, depending on the size of muffin tin you use.
A suggestion: After scooping batter into muffin tin, sprinkle sugar in the raw, granulated sugar, or festive sprinkles on top. Really helps when kids aren't so sure, but then think - oh this is a treat. Or if you are aiming for healthier, add ground flax or wheat germ.
2 comments:
yum! I'm going to try these:) I wonder if homemade buttermilk would work??...just under 1 cup of milk or heavy cream to 1 TBSP of vinegar (adjust for how much you need).
I think homemade buttermilk would work fine. Good idea!
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