Marion Cunningham's Boston Brown Bread Muffins

I'd never heard of Boston brown bread until a few years ago at Christmas when my mom cracked open a can of it and we marveled at cylindrical bread from a can. It was actually really good, and it had wholesome ingredients. I still don't understand it.

This recipe for Boston brown bread muffins is a little less novel but no less tasty. It's also difficult to say "Boston brown bread" a few times fast - or even once.

I've made these muffins twice and they're a new favorite for me. The first time I made them with yogurt in place of the buttermilk, the second time I made fake buttermilk from regular milk and vinegar.  Both batches turned out and I didn't detect a difference.

By the way, if you're looking for a good no-nonsense cookbook, I highly recommend Cunningham's The Breakfast Book. I've posted multiple recipes from on this here blog over the years (quick bread, banana ginger bran muffins, beet marmalade with bannocks, all sorts of toast inspiration). I take this one to bed sometimes and fall asleep dreaming of tomorrow's breakfast.

Boston Brown Bread Muffins
from Marion Cunningham's The Breakfast Book

Makes 12 muffins

1/2 c. rye flour
1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 c. cornmeal
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 egg
1/3 c. molasses
1/3 c. packed dark brown sugar
1/3 c. vegetable oil
1 c. buttermilk (or thinned out plain yogurt)
1 c. golden raisins

Heat the oven to 400 degrees.

Line or grease a muffin tin.

In a large bowl, combine the dry (i.e., the first five) ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, molasses, brown sugar, oil and buttermilk until well blended. Stir the buttermilk mixture into the dry mixture until combined. Fold in the raisins.

Fill each muffin tin about 2/3 to 3/4 full, depending on the size of your tins.

Bake for about 15 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. These babies are great plain but divine with salted butter.