Barefoot Contessa's Chunky Banana Bran Muffins

Total Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 1 cup unprocessed wheat bran
• 1 cup buttermilk (shaken)
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 6 tablespoons unsulphured molasses
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup large-diced banana
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Recipe

• 1 preheat the oven to 350 degrees f.
• 2 place paper liners into 1 (10 or 12-cup) muffin tin.
• 3 combine the bran and buttermilk and set aside.
• 4 cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for about 5 minutes, until light and fluffy.
• 5 with the mixer on low, add the eggs, 1 at a time.
• 6 scrape the bowl and then add the molasses, orange zest, and vanilla. (the mixture will look curdled.)
• 7 add the bran/buttermilk mixture and combine.
• 8 in a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• 9 with the mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the batter just until combined.
• 10 don't overmix it!
• 11 fold in the raisins, bananas and walnuts with a rubber spatula.
• 12 with an ice cream scoop or large spoon, fill the muffin cups to the top and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.