Why it works: Almond and flour are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 5% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 8,673 recipes. Both carry isobutyraldehyde, which smells malty, green. The science ↓
Pound Cake
Ingredients
Directions
The book says “a slow oven”. The 300°F (150°C) in the steps is the modern equivalent, not the book's own figure. The book gives no cooking times; the times in the steps were added in transcription, so check for doneness rather than trusting the clock.
Prepare the batter
Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C).
Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
Add the milk and almond flavoring, mixing well.
Gradually add the flour and baking powder, stirring until combined.
Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form, then gently fold them into the batter.
Bake and finish
Pour the batter into a greased loaf pan.
Bake for about 1 hour, testing with a straw to ensure it comes out dry.
Let cool before applying boiled icing.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Photo for illustrative purposes only · Contact us to use it
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
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Almond + flourtop 5% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together8,673 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
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Butter + milktop 7% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together81,283 recipes
Shared aroma: (z)-4-heptenal (biscuit, cream).
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Butter + almondtop 11% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together9,245 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,3-pentanedione (butter, sweet).
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Butter + flourtop 12% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together124,287 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
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Milk + flourtop 14% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together78,219 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
Butter and flour barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 124,287 recipes: they work on texture and structure more than aroma.
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Butter
- Creaming with sugar traps air and gives the cake a tender, rich crumb.
- Sugar
- Creamed with butter to add sweetness and help build a light, fluffy texture.
- Flour
- Provides the structure that holds the cake together as it sets in the oven.
- Eggs
- Stiffly beaten whites add lift and airy structure to the batter.
- Baking powder
- Releases gas in the batter, helping the cake rise during baking.
- Milk
- Adds moisture and helps form a smooth, pourable batter.
The step that matters
Folding in the egg whites. Stiff whites hold air that gives the cake its lift. Stirring them in vigorously knocks out that air, while gentle folding keeps the batter light and airy as it bakes.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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