Why it works: Flour and sugar are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 15% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 92,116 recipes. Both carry phenylacetaldehyde, which smells hawthorne, honey. The science ↓
Corn Bread I
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Grease a 9‑inch square baking pan.
Make the batter
In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients.
In a separate bowl, beat prepared egg substitute with soymilk and margarine.
Add this to dry ingredients, and stir just until moistened.
Bake
Bake in prepared pan 20 minutes, or until a knife inserted comes out clean.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 6 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 1 cup (125g) all-purpose | 455 |
| Butter | 1 tbsp (14g) | 102 |
| Egg Substitute | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
| Black Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 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.
-
Flour + sugartop 15% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together92,116 recipes
Shared aroma: phenylacetaldehyde (hawthorne, honey).
-
Flour + eggtop 15% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together106,462 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
-
Flour + peppertop 19% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together50,459 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
-
Sugar + eggtop 21% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together122,807 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
-
Sugar + peppertop 32% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together19,401 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
Flour and egg barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 106,462 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
- Fine cornmeal
- Provides the main body and the characteristic corn flavor and grainy texture.
- Flour
- Gives the cornbread structure so it holds its shape after baking.
- Baking powder
- Releases gas in the batter, causing the cornbread to rise and become light.
- Egg substitute (ener-g), prepared
- Binds the batter and helps give the crumb structure in place of egg.
- Margarine
- Adds fat for tenderness and moisture, and carries flavor through the crumb.
- Sugar
- Adds sweetness and helps the crust brown during baking.
The step that matters
Stir just until moistened. Mixing the wet and dry ingredients only until combined keeps gluten development limited, so the cornbread stays tender rather than tough and dense.
“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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