Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ cups Wheat Bran Flakes
  • 1 ½ cups Buttermilk (full-fat preferred)
  • ½ cup Dark Brown Sugar (packed)
  • ¼ cup Blackstrap Molasses
  • 1 Large Egg (room temperature)
  • ¼ cup Unsalted Butter (melted) or neutral oil
  • 1 cup All-Purpose Flour (plain flour)
  • 2 teaspoons Baking Soda (Bicarbonate of Soda)
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
  • ½ teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
  • ½ teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

Instructions:

  1. Combine the Soaking Mixture: In a large bowl, whisk together the wheat bran flakes, buttermilk, dark brown sugar, and molasses until well combined.
  2. Rest: Set the mixture aside to rest for a minimum of 20 minutes. This allows the bran to soften and absorb the liquid, preventing a gritty texture.
  3. Preheat and Prep: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line the muffin tin with paper liners or grease thoroughly.
  4. Combine Remaining Wet: Once the bran has soaked, add the melted butter (or oil) and the room temperature egg to the bowl. Whisk lightly just until incorporated.
  5. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon until thoroughly combined.
  6. Combine Wet and Dry: Add the dry ingredients all at once to the soaking mixture.
  7. Fold Gently: Using a rubber spatula, fold the ingredients together just until barely combined. Do not overmix; a few streaks of flour remaining are fine.
  8. Scoop the Batter: Distribute the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups. They should be quite full—about ¾ capacity.
  9. Bake: Place the tin in the preheated oven. Immediately reduce the temperature to 375°F (190°C). (The initial blast of heat helps create a good dome.)
  10. Test for Doneness: Bake for 18–22 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
  11. Cool: Allow the muffins to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.