Pour boiling water over the wheat bran in a bowl. Set bowl to the side. 

In another bowl, beat together butter, oil and brown sugar until the butter is light and fluffy.

Add eggs to bowl, beating after each addition. Add molasses and vanilla. Blend together. Whisk together both flours, salt, baking soda and baking powder.

Add flour mixture to creamed butter, alternately with buttermilk in 3 separate additions. Use wooden spoon to stir.

Add in zest and dried fruit.

Divide batter between 12 muffin cups, approximately ¾ full in each cup.

Bake in a preheated 375° oven for 20 minutes, or until toothpick comes out nearly clean.