Why it works: Butter and milk are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 7% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 81,283 recipes. Both carry (z)-4-heptenal, which smells biscuit, cream. The science ↓
Buttery Cornbread
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the batter
In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar.
Combine the eggs and milk.
Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt.
Add to creamed mixture alternating egg and flour mixtures.
Bake and serve
Pour into a greased 13x9x2-inch baking pan.
Bake at 400 degrees for 22 to 27 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
Cut into squares and serve warm.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 6 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 1 cup (125g) all-purpose | 455 |
| Milk | 1 cup (244ml) whole | 149 |
| Butter | 1 tbsp (14g) | 102 |
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
| 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.
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Butter + milktop 7% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together81,283 recipes
Shared aroma: (z)-4-heptenal (biscuit, cream).
-
Butter + flourtop 12% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together124,287 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
-
Milk + flourtop 14% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together78,219 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
-
Sugar + flourtop 15% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together92,116 recipes
Shared aroma: phenylacetaldehyde (hawthorne, honey).
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Egg + flourtop 15% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together106,462 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
Butter and flour 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
- Butter
- Adds fat and richness, tenderizing the crumb and carrying flavor.
- Sugar
- Creams with butter for a tender texture and adds sweetness and browning.
- Eggs
- Provide structure and binding while adding richness to the crumb.
- Flour
- Forms the main structure of the cornbread as it sets in the oven.
- Cornmeal
- Gives the cornbread its grainy texture and characteristic corn flavor.
- Baking powder
- Releases gas in the batter, causing the cornbread to rise and become light.
The step that matters
Alternating the egg-milk and flour mixtures into the creamed butter and sugar. Adding the wet and dry mixtures in alternating portions lets the flour hydrate evenly without overworking the batter. Overmixing develops gluten and can make the cornbread 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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