Kumquat Bran Muffins
When I was contemplating ingredients to use that were “baby size”, Kumquats came to mind. While they technically are their own kind of fruit, not baby oranges, they look like baby oranges to me. 🙂 They were also something I’d never used before, so I was excited to try them out! Because of their size, there is a high amount of peel to fruit so I thought making a caramel or marmalade out of them and using that in a muffin seemed like the way to go.
Let’s get to it!
You’ll start by preheating your oven. Then mix the buttermilk and wheat bran in a large bowl. Here’s a tip, if you don’t have buttermilk you can mix 1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice with enough milk to measure a cup, stir it and let it sit for about 5 minutes. Voila, you have the equivalent to buttermilk!
Once the bran and buttermilk is mixed, let that sit while you make your kumquat caramel.
To make the caramel, melt the butter in a pan over medium heat.
Then add one cup of the brown sugar and cook until it’s bubbling and the sugar is dissolved.
Add your kumquats and cook another minute.
Now mix the egg, vegetable oil, and remaining brown sugar together in a small bowl.
Add that mixture to the bran and buttermilk and mix it all together. Finally, you’ll add the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
You’re almost ready for the oven! Coat your muffin tins with cooking spray and fill fifteen cups evenly with the kumquat caramel.
Now top with the muffin batter, spreading it so the caramel isn’t shown.
Bake sixteen to twenty minutes or until the muffins are no longer wet in the center.
Let them cool ten minutes, and then cut around each knife with a butter knife and flip them out on a platter or plate. To do this, place your plate on top of the muffin tin, then flip and give the pan a jiggle for the muffins to pop out. If any of the caramel stick, just take it out with a spoon and spread it on the muffins.
These muffins are really pretty with the kumquats looking like jewels on the top. The muffins are moist with the intense citrus flavor of the kumquats.
These muffins should last about three days. Enjoy!
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Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups wheat bran
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 2/3 cups dark brown sugar, divided
- 3/4 cup thinly sliced kumquat
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheating oven to 375.
- Mix buttermilk and wheat bran in a large bowl and let it sit.
- Melt butter over medium heat. Add 1 cup of brown sugar and cook until bubbling andsugar is dissolved. Add your kumquats and cook another minute.
- Mix egg, vegetable oil, and remaining brown sugar in a small bowl. Add to bran and buttermilk and mix. Add flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
- Coat muffin tins with cooking spray and fill 15 cups evenly with the kumquat caramel. Top with the muffin batter, spreading it so the caramel isn't shown.
- Bake 16-20 minutes or until the muffins are no longer wet in the center.
- Cool 10 minutes, and then cut around each knife with a butter knife and flip them out on a platter or plate.