Low-Fat Pineapple Upside-Down Bran Muffin

These recipes which are featured in our March 2006 story "How Stars Stay Slim," are from Hollywood Dish by Hollywood caterer and chef Akasha Richardson.

Ingredients

Canola cooking spray
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon water
8 ounces (1 cup) fresh or canned pineapple, chopped into -inch pieces
1 3/4 cups bran flakes
1 1/2 cups unbleached all- purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup raisins or dried cherries
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup mild molasses
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 1/4 cups plain soymilk
1/4 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Coat a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray.

In a small bowl whisk together the brown sugar, maple syrup, butter, and water. Using a pastry brush, divide the mixture equally between the 12 muffin cups. Then divide the pineapple among the muffin cups.

In a large bowl combine the bran flakes, flour, salt baking soda, and baking powder. Mix 2 to 3 teaspoons of the dry ingredients with the raisins and set aside.

In another bowl whisk together the oil, molasses, maple syrup, soymilk, orange juice, vanilla, and orange zest. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the liquid mixture. Lightly fold in the raisins. Do not overmix or the muffins will be dense.

Fill the muffin cups and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet (to catch any drips from the topping). Bake for 20 minutes, checking with a toothpick at 18 minutes for doneness. Remove from the oven and immediately invert the muffin tin onto a cooking rack. If any of the pineapple topping remains in the tin, quickly replace it back on top of the muffins.