Two Ginger Muffins

September 15, 2008 at 7:21 am (B plus (3.5 stars, like a lot), breakfast, Dessert, Isa C. Moskowitz, My brain, Quick weeknight recipe)

Although these muffins have a bit of bran in them, I wouldn’t classify them as bran muffins. Ginger is definitely the predominant flavor.  This recipe is based on a recipe from Vegan with a Vengeance (but it’s been un-veganified):

  • 1.5 cups white flour
  • 1 cup wheat bran (not packed)
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 tsp. ground ginger
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 carrot, grated
  • 1 small apple, cored (but not peeled), diced finely
  • 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger
  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Add aluminum muffin papers to a 12-muffin tin.
  2. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, bran, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, spices and salt.   Grate the carrot and chop the apple, and mix them in to the dry ingredients.  Make a well in the center of the ingredients and add the liquid ingredients.  Stir the liquid ingredients together, then gently mix the liquid and dry ingredients together.  Do not overmix.  Fold in the crystallized ginger.
  3. Fill the muffin tins and bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean and the tops are lightly browned.

Derek really liked these muffins, especially the crystallized ginger.  I thought the flavor was good but I would have liked a bit more bran/molasses flavor, and a slightly heavier muffin–something a bit closer to gingerbread perhaps. The original recipe calls for 1/2 cup of raisins, soaked, and folded in at the end with the ginger, but I subbed in carrot and apple since I didn’t have any raisins.  Soy milk can be used instead of the buttermilk.  As written, each muffin has about 170 calories.

Next time I make this I’m going to try subbing in 1/2 cup whole wheat flour, and I’ll substitute brown sugar for the white sugar (since I haven’t found molasses yet–otherwise I would add 3 Tbs. molassess). I also might try replacing the baking powder with another 1.5 tsp. baking soda (since I’m using an acidic liquid).   If that works, I’d like to try using a full 1.5 cups wheat bran, to add body. I’m not sure exactly how much buttermilk would be needed to counteract the extra bran.  Maybe another 2 Tbs?  Or I might try using yogurt and an egg, maybe 1 egg and 1 3/4 to 2 cups lowfat yogurt?  Another change I’d like to try is adding in some fresh ginger for even more bite, and transforming these into three ginger muffins.

Update Dec 2010:  I made these again exactly as written above, and again Derek really liked them.

Update October 11, 2009: I made these again, changing the recipe up a bit.  I used some whole wheat flour, added more bran, and fresh ginger.  I increased the baking soda and decreased the powder.  They’re now three ginger muffins.

  • 1 cup white flour
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup wheat bran (packed)
  • 1.5 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar sugar
  • 2 tsp. ground ginger
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 carrot, grated (about 1 cup not packed)
  • 1 small apple, cored (but not peeled), diced finely (I left this out)
  • 1 1/3 cups buttermilk
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 Tbs. grated fresh ginger
  • 1/3 cup chopped crystallized ginger
  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Add aluminum muffin papers to a 12-muffin tin.
  2. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, bran, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, spices and salt.   Grate the carrot and chop the apple, and mix them in to the dry ingredients.  In a small bowl mix together the liquid ingredients and the fresh ginger.  Gently mix the liquid and dry ingredients together.  Do not over-mix.  Fold in the crystallized ginger.
  3. Fill the muffin tins and bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean and the tops are lightly browned. (Mine were done after 15 minutes, with the fan in my oven on!)

I liked these muffins.  They definitely taste like ginger.  The extra bran and the whole wheat flour give them a more substantial texture than the first batch–more muffiny, less cupcake-y.  Still, they weren’t dry at all.  I quite liked them.  I think they could have taken in even more grated carrot.  Derek, however, thought they had too much bran, and were too gritty.  He said the bran mutes the ginger flavor.  This recipe made 12 small muffins.  The muffins are 39% fat, 52% carbs, and 9% protein.  Rating: B+. Derek rating: B-.

Nutrition Facts
Ginger Bran Muffins ~ VwV
Serving Size: 1 muffin
Amount Per Serving
Calories 143
Total Fat 6.6g
Saturated Fat 1g
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 1mg
Sodium 294mg
Carbohydrate 19.8g
Dietary Fiber 3g
Sugars 5.2g
Protein 3.4g
Vitamin A 31% Vitamin C 2%
Calcium    7% Iron 7%

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