Buttermilk Corn Cakes

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.

1. Flour + buttermilktop 8% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together3,721 recipes

   Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).

2. Sugar + buttermilktop 9% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together2,973 recipes

   Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).

3. Flour + buttertop 12% of all pairs
   Smell alikelow
   Cooked together124,287 recipes

   Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).

4. Flour + corntop 13% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together6,165 recipes

   Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).

5. Corn + buttertop 14% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together7,345 recipes

   Shared aroma: 2,3-pentanedione (butter, sweet).

Flour and butter 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

Flour

Provides the main structure that holds the cakes together.

Cornmeal

Adds corn flavour and a slightly coarse, tender texture.

Baking powder

Releases gas in the batter so the cakes rise and turn light.

Baking soda

Reacts with the acidity of buttermilk to help the cakes rise and brown.

Eggs

Bind the batter and add structure and richness as they set.

Buttermilk

Adds moisture and tang, and its acidity activates the baking soda.

The step that matters