Whole Wheat Bran Muffins

I have to admit that I hesitated a while before posting this recipe. After all, there will be some, who claim that muffins are not really bread. And I suppose on some level they are right. But, really, does this matter in the grand scheme of things. In truth, there are different kinds of muffins (just like there are different kinds of biscuits, BTW) and some are breadier, and others are cakier. I don't even know if those are words and I suspect not. Anyway, I have also been thinking for a long time about expanding this scope of this blog to include all baked goods not just bread. I mean I have posted a recipe for a 'quick' brioche, and is brioche bread or cake? I don't know. Some will argue bread, others cake.

And so we come to muffins. Everybody loves them, but they do seem to fall on the cake side of the debate. Even the breadier ones. These muffins are for the health conscious, meaning that although they include sweeteners (brown sugar and molasses) they also include a whole cup and a half of wheat bran, i.e., lots of fiber. I mean lots. They are delicious and not too loaded up with fat (only a small amount of oil).   They can be ready in time for breakfast, or to grab on the way out the door to work. Anyway, enjoy.

Here's What You'll Need for 1 dozen muffins:

1 1/4 cups AP flour
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
7 Tbs. softened butter or margarine
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbs. packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 Tbs. molasses
1/4 cup sour cream
1 cup plus 3 Tbs. buttermilk
1 1/2 cups wheat bran
1 cup raisins

Here's What You'll Need To Do:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C).
2. Whisk together the dry ingredients (flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices) in a medium bowl.
3. Mix thoroughly the wet ingredients (butter or margarine, eggs, vanilla, molasses, sour cream and buttermilk) in a separate bowl. It is important to mix in the order they appear in the ingredient list. So... start with the butter, mixing until it becomes a little fluffy then add the brown sugar and beat until they are light and fluffy. Afterwords, add the eggs, one at a time, then the other ingredients adding each one and incorporating before adding the next.
4. Finally, pour the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet and beat them together adding a little bit at a time until they are all mixed.
5. Mix in the bran and then the raisins to make the final mixture.
6. Fill the cups of a lightly oiled muffin tin about 2/3 full and bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in one of the muffins comes out clean.
7. Let the baked muffins sit in the muffin pan for about 5 minutes or so before removing them. Then, remove them carefully, and let them cool completely on a rack.

8. Enjoy!!