Name: Almost Fat-free Chocolate Cupcakes
Ingredients: 1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour; 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder; 1 1/2 tsp baking powder; 1 1/2 tsp baking soda; 2 tsp salt; 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar; 1/4 cup cinnamon applesauce; 1 egg; 1 egg white; 1 tbsp oil; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 2/3 cup skim milk; powdered sugar, optional

Why it works: Cinnamon and vanilla match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 5,287 recipes. Both carry 4-methoxybenzaldehyde, which smells sweet, anise. The science ↓

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.

Cinnamon + vanillatop 1% of all pairs

Smell alikestrong

Cooked together5,287 recipes

Shared aroma: 4-methoxybenzaldehyde (sweet, anise).
Vanilla + milktop 5% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together19,187 recipes

Shared aroma: ethyl caproate (fruity, apple peel).
Sugar + vanillatop 8% of all pairs

Smell alikelow

Cooked together35,032 recipes

Shared aroma: beta-damascenone (apple, rose).
Flour + cinnamontop 9% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together17,341 recipes

Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
Cinnamon + milktop 10% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together12,655 recipes

Shared aroma: cuminaldehyde (Spicy, cumin).

Sugar and vanilla barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 35,032 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

All-purpose flour: Provides the structure that holds the cupcakes together as they bake.
Unsweetened cocoa powder: Supplies the chocolate flavor and deep color of the cupcakes.
Baking soda: Reacts with acidic ingredients to produce gas that makes the cupcakes rise.
Egg: Adds structure and binds the batter while helping it set during baking.
Dark brown sugar: Adds sweetness, moisture and a soft, tender crumb.
Cinnamon applesauce: Adds moisture and tenderness while reducing the need for added fat.

The step that matters

Stir in flour mixture alternately with milk until just combined. Once flour is wet, overmixing develops gluten, which makes the cupcakes tough and dense instead of tender.

“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.

Ingredient	Portion assumed	kcal
Flour	1 cup (125g) all-purpose	455
Chocolate	1 oz (28g) semisweet	155
Milk	1 cup (244ml) whole	149
Olive Oil	1 tbsp (14g)	119
Egg	1 large egg (50g)	78
Sugar	1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated	49
Vanilla	1 tsp extract (4ml)	12
Cinnamon	1 tsp ground (2.6g)	6
Salt	1 tsp (6g)	0

Almost Fat-free Chocolate Cupcakes