Raspberry Bran Muffins

These bran muffins hide a surprise: a teaspoon of raspberry jam tucked into the center of each one. Cut into a warm muffin and you hit a pocket of melted, fruity sweetness surrounded by hearty bran.

Eight cups of bran flakes cereal is a lot, and it gives these muffins real substance. The cereal softens in the buttermilk batter but keeps enough texture to give each bite a slight chew. The buttermilk adds tang that balances the sweetness and reacts with the baking soda for a good rise.

The jam pocket technique is simple: spoon ¼ cup batter into each cup, press a small well in the center with the back of a spoon, drop in a teaspoon of jam, then top with the remaining batter. The jam sinks slightly during baking and stays gooey in the middle.

Pro Tips

• Stir the batter until just blended. Overmixing makes bran muffins dense and tough.
• Make the jam well deep enough that the batter covers it completely. Exposed jam burns and sticks to the paper liner.
• This makes 24 muffins, a big batch. The batter holds well in the fridge for up to 3 days if you want to bake fresh batches.
• Test with a pick in the muffin, not the jam center. The jam will always come out wet.

Variations

• Blueberry jam: Swap raspberry for blueberry jam, or use any favorite preserve.
• Streusel top: Mix 2 tablespoons each of brown sugar, flour, and cold butter into crumbs and sprinkle on top before baking.
• Honey bran: Replace half the sugar with honey for a less sweet, more earthy muffin.