Why it works: Nutmeg and mace are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 4% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 6,557 recipes. Both carry myristicin, which smells spice, warm. The science ↓
Seedcake
Ingredients
Directions
Make the batter
Cream together the butter and sugar.
Add the spices and seeds, followed by the eggs and brandy, beating to combine.
Gradually add the flour, stirring until everything is mixed together completely.
Bake
Pour this thick batter into a tin lined with buttered paper, and bake it at 350F for 1 hour.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 5 of 10 ingredients. The other 5 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 5 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 1 cup (125g) all-purpose | 455 |
| Butter | 1 tbsp (14g) | 102 |
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
| Nutmeg | 1 tsp ground (2.2g) | 12 |
| Mace | not in our table | 0 |
| Seed | not in our table | 0 |
| Caraway | not in our table | 0 |
| Poppy Seed | not in our table | 0 |
| Brandy | 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.
-
Nutmeg + macetop 4% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together6,557 recipes
Shared aroma: myristicin (spice, warm).
-
Nutmeg + carawaytop 5% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together200 recipes
Shared aroma: myristicin (spice, warm).
-
Butter + poppy seedtop 12% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together258 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
-
Nutmeg + brandytop 15% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together4,311 recipes
Shared aroma: linalool (floral, citrus).
-
Butter + brandytop 15% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together5,127 recipes
Shared aroma: ethyl octanoate (fruity, wine).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Butter
- Creams with sugar to trap air and give the cake a rich, tender crumb.
- Eggs
- Bind the batter and add structure as the cake sets in the oven.
- Flour
- Forms the cake's structure once mixed in and baked.
- Sugar
- Sweetens the cake and helps the creamed butter hold air.
- Brandy
- Adds aroma and moisture to the batter.
The step that matters
Gradually add the flour. Adding flour in portions and stirring only until combined keeps the batter smooth and prevents overmixing, which would toughen the crumb as gluten develops.
Swap the mace
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (butter, sugar, nutmeg, caraway, poppy seed, egg, brandy):
- Cinnamonfits better
- Cardamomfits better
- Clovefits better
- Macethe original
Fit is the average pairing score against butter, sugar, nutmeg, caraway, poppy seed, egg, brandy. 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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