Buttermilk Bran Muffins~

I have an old index card with a recipe for “6 Week Bran Muffins” which I received at one of my bridal showers…eons ago. It looks quite splattered after years and years of use. Then, one day I couldn’t find Nabisco 100% Bran on the cereal shelves anymore. My days of making this batter which could sit in the fridge for up to 6 weeks, allowing you to prepare fresh bran muffins on a whim, seemed to be finished. I never did get behind the idea of baking these past the 24 hour mark, but they were quite tasty and a staple at our house.

I started using unprocessed miller’s bran to make these muffins, but Katie, the primary consumer, didn’t think they were quite as good as our old standard. So I went back to the old recipe and tweaked by using All-Bran. These freeze marvelously…so make this humongous batch and stock your freezer.

Tip of the day: If you have enough leftover batter for just one or two muffins, place paper liners in a ramekin or two, fill and bake with your tin.

Buttermilk Bran Muffins~

6 cups All-Bran, divided
2 cups boiling water
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil (or 2 sticks butter, melted)
4 eggs
1 quart buttermilk
5 cups flour
5 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons salt
3 carrots, grated, or dried fruit of choice, optional

Preheat oven to 400º. Line muffin tins with paper liners.

Combine 2 cups of All-Bran with 2 cups boiling water and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine sugars, oil and eggs. Add buttermilk, then flour, baking soda, salt and remaining 4 cups of All-Bran. Mix in carrots.

Fill muffin cups about 2/3 full. Bake for about 20 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before removing to wire rack to finish cooling.

Makes approximately 5 dozen.

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