Why it works: Apple and cinnamon are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 4% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 5,598 recipes. Both carry methyl cinnamate, which smells strawberry. The science ↓
Dutch Antillean Appelkoek
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the batter
Peel and cut apples into eighths (wedges).
Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and 4 tablespoons of sugar.
Cut in butter or margarine.
Combine egg and milk and add to the flour mixture.
Assemble and bake
Pour batter into a greased 8-inch square cake pan.
Press apple wedges partly into the batter.
Combine remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar with cinnamon and sprinkle over the apples.
Bake at 425°F for 25 to 30 minutes.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 8 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 1 cup (125g) all-purpose | 455 |
| Milk | 1 cup (244ml) whole | 149 |
| Butter | 1 tbsp (14g) | 102 |
| Apple | 1 medium (182g) | 95 |
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
| Cinnamon | 1 tsp ground (2.6g) | 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.
-
Apple + cinnamontop 4% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together5,598 recipes
Shared aroma: methyl cinnamate (strawberry).
-
Butter + milktop 7% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together81,283 recipes
Shared aroma: (z)-4-heptenal (biscuit, cream).
-
Flour + cinnamontop 9% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together17,341 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
-
Milk + cinnamontop 10% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together12,655 recipes
Shared aroma: cuminaldehyde (Spicy, cumin).
-
Sugar + cinnamontop 10% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together30,779 recipes
Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).
Sugar and cinnamon barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 30,779 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
- Apples
- Provide moisture and tartness that contrast with the sweet, tender cake crumb.
- Flour
- Forms the structure of the cake as its proteins set during baking.
- Baking powder
- Releases gas when heated, lifting the batter so the cake rises and becomes light.
- Egg
- Binds the batter and adds structure and richness as it sets.
- Milk
- Adds moisture and helps hydrate the flour into a smooth batter.
- Margarine or butter
- Adds fat that tenderizes the crumb and carries flavor.
The step that matters
Pressing the apple wedges into the batter. Wedges pressed too deep sink to the bottom, while ones left on top can dry out. Pressing them partly in keeps them anchored and moist as the batter rises around them.
Swap the apple
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (flour, sugar, butter, egg, milk, cinnamon):
- Vanillafits better
- Raisinfits better
- Figfits better
- Applethe original
Fit is the average pairing score against flour, sugar, butter, egg, milk, cinnamon. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.
“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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