Why it works: Sugar and chocolate are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 13% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 15,404 recipes. Both carry guaiacol, which smells smoky, sweet. The science ↓
Black Forest Bars
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Drain cherries very well.
Combine cake mix, cherries and sugar replacement in mixing bowl, then stir to blend thoroughly.
Bake and serve
Spread batter in a well-greased 9-inch pan.
Bake at 375 °F for 20–25 minutes.
Cut into 1 × 1 ½ bars.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 3 of 4 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 3 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Chocolate | 1 oz (28g) semisweet | 155 |
| Cherry | 1 cup (138g) | 87 |
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
| Cake | not in our table | 0 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.
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.
-
Sugar + chocolatetop 13% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together15,404 recipes
Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Sour cherries
- Add moisture and tart fruit flavor that contrasts with the chocolate.
- No-sugar chocolate cake mix
- Provides the chocolate batter that sets into the bar structure as it bakes.
- Sugar replacement
- Adds sweetness to the batter without using regular sugar.
The step that matters
Drain cherries very well. Excess liquid from the cherries thins the batter and can make the bars soggy or unevenly set. Removing it well helps the batter bake to a firm, cakey texture.
“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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