I just love muffin recipes where you make up the batter and then just bake as many as you need for the next couple of days.
Orange Ever Ready Bran Muffins is one of those recipes. These muffins are a nice mixture of bran, oatmeal, orange, dried apricot and dates…..very yummy!
I know, you looked at the recipe and saw that it requires the zest of 2 oranges and you were ready to give up…such a lot of work! Do not despair.
Let me introduce you to the Lee Valley Stainless Steel Rasp and Zester.
Many of my recipes call for grated garlic, grated lemon rind, grated ginger, grated cinnamon or in this case grated orange rind. These jobs are a snap with the Lee Valley Stainless Steel Rasp and Zester. It is also perfect for grating fresh hard cheese, such as Parmesan or cheddar.
Orange Ever Ready Bran Muffins
Print recipeIngredients
- 1 cup crushed bran flakes (2 cups whole bran flakes)
- 1 cup quick oats
- 1 cup cooking bran
- 1 Cups boiling water
- grated rind from 2 oranges
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1/2 cup shortening (e.g. Crisco)
- 1 1/2 Cups white sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 Cups buttermilk
- 1 Tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 Cups all purpose flour
- 4 Tsp baking soda
- 1/8 Tsp salt
- 1 cup dried apricots (chopped)
- 1 cup cooking dates (chopped)
Topping
- 2 Tbsp white sugar
- 1/4 Tsp cinnamon
Directions
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Combine the crushed bran flakes, quick oats, cooking bran, boiling water, orange rind and orange juice in a large bowl, mix well, and set aside to cool.  | |
| Cream shortening and sugar in a large bowl; add eggs, buttermilk and vanilla and beat until smooth. | |
| The easiest way to chop the apricots and cooking dates is to use scissors. They should be cut into pieces about the size of peas. | |
| Cream shortening and sugar in a large bowl; add eggs, buttermilk and vanilla and beat until smooth. | |
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Combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir into creamed mixture and mix to blend. Stir this mixture into orange mixture along with the apricots and dates. Mix well.  | |
| Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours before baking. Batter will keep for up to 5 weeks, so you only need to bake as many muffins as you need at one time. Makes about 2 1/2 dozen muffins.. | |
| Topping | |
| Mix the cinnamon and sugar together. Keep in a covered container in the cupboard as the topping is for the whole recipe. You just need a little sprinkle for each muffin. | |
| Ready to Bake? | |
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Grease a muffin tin or use paper or silicon muffin cup holders. Fill as many muffin holders as you would like 3/4 full. Sprinkle with topping mixture.  | |
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Bake at 400 °F for 22- 25 min, or until cake tester comes out clean or top springs back when lightly touched.  | |