Harvest Muffins

These sort of, came about as a "Melissa can't read/follow a recipe", but they're delicious, so I'm actually writing down what I did!

Makes: ~28 cupcake-sized muffins

Ingredients

• 1 cup shortening
• 1 cup demerara-style brown sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/3 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 2 large apples, peeled and chopped
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 2 cups bran cereal
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 2 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 4 tsp ground ginger
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon 
• 1 1/2 tsp cloves 
• 1 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350˚F, and grease muffin pans.
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each.  
4. Add raisins, pecans, and chopped apples to wet ingredients, stir well to combine.
5. In a medium sized bowl, combine, flour, bran, spices, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
6. Fold dry ingredients to wet until just combined.
7. Fill greased muffin cups 100% full (they don't rise much). Bake for approx. 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out of muffin clean.