Fresh From the Oven: Blueberry Bran Muffins

I wanted to bake something all day yesterday.

But I was out of brown sugar. Do you know how many cookie and cake recipes call for brown sugar? Many. And, I wasn't about to drag all 3 kids out in the rain just for brown sugar.

Thus my oven stayed cold.

Until about 10:30 pm when I remembered this recipe. It didn't call for brown sugar. So I started mixing up some muffins.

Why, you ask, were you mixing up muffins at 10:30 at night? Well, first there was the craving for baked goods, but also Lilly was awake. Like her brothers before her, Lilly sometimes wakes up wanting a midnight snack. And since we were up feeding her, why not make some muffins?

"You know what is great about this recipe?" I said to Aaron as I stirred.

"I can leave the batter out all night and just pop these in the oven in the morning so we'll have hot muffins for breakfast."

"Really?"

"Yep. Says so right here. Leave out at room temperature."

After I spooned all the batter into the muffin tins, I consulted the recipe again for a final look at the "leave out at room temperature" bit. Oh.

It actually meant bake them ahead and then leave out at room temperature.

That is what happens when you combine pregnancy brain with pregnancy tired and baking at 10:30 pm. You turn into a real moron.

"Guess I'll be staying up a bit later tonight."

So at about 11:30 pm, I had a warm muffin, slathered in butter and it was really good.

And it was really good for breakfast this morning, too.

Here are the details.

The recipe is from the Readers' Favorite Restaurant section in Bon Appetit magazine. The muffins are made at Ristretto Roasters in Portland, Oregon.

I know they look hearty. They are. They have 6 cups of bran in them. But they are also moist and tender and just the right amount of sweet. They taste lovely all by themselves, and even better with a bit of butter.

I substituted 1 cup of applesauce for 1 of the cups of sour cream. I also used whole wheat flour instead of white. Lastly, I used oat bran rather than wheat bran because that is what I had on hand.

I think the muffins were still marvelous, and a bit more healthy.

Blueberry Bran Muffins

2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups sour cream

1 cup sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

1 cup robust flavored (dark) molasses

3 large eggs

6 cups wheat bran

2 cups frozen blueberries (do not thaw)

Pre heat oven to 350

Whisk flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium bowl.

Whisk sour cream, sugar, oil, molasses and eggs in a large bowl.

Whisk in dry ingredients.

Ad wheat bran and stir until almost blended.

Add frozen berries and stir until evenly distributed.

Divide batter into prepared muffin tins (use liner or spray with cooking spray) makes 24-30 muffins, depending on tin size.

Bake muffins until tester inserted into center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. 20-25 minutes.

Cool 10 minutes and transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Do ahead: can be made 8 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. (I do believe they mean after they've been baked!)