Why it works: Egg and orange are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 31% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 10,696 recipes. Both carry 2,4-decadienal, which smells seaweed. The science ↓
Tie-Dye Cupcakes
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the batter
Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans).
Place white paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.
Make cake batter as directed on box for cupcakes, using water, oil and eggs.
Divide batter evenly among 6 medium bowls.
Add a different food color to each bowl to make red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple.
Layer and bake
Place 1 level teaspoon of each color batter into each muffin cup, layering colors in order of rainbow—red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple. Do not stir! Each cup will be about half full.
Bake 17 to 23 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool 10 minutes.
Remove cupcakes from pans; place on cooling racks.
Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
Frost and store
Meanwhile, divide frosting evenly among 3 medium bowls.
Tint 1 red, 1 yellow and 1 blue with food colors.
Refrigerate about 30 minutes.
In large (16-inch) disposable decorating bag fitted with #6 star tip, place spoonfuls of each color of frosting side by side, alternating colors and working up from tip of bag. Do not mix colors together.
Starting at 12 o’clock on outer edge of each cupcake and using constant pressure on bag, pipe frosting clockwise for 3 rotations, working toward center and ending in small peak.
Store loosely covered.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 3 of 5 ingredients. The other 2 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 3 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Olive Oil | 1 tbsp (14g) | 119 |
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Orange | 1 medium (131g) | 62 |
| Cake | not in our table | 0 |
| Water | 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.
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Egg + orangetop 31% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together10,696 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,4-decadienal (seaweed).
Egg and orange barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 10,696 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
- Eggs
- Provide structure and binding so the batter holds its shape while baking.
- Vegetable oil
- Adds moisture and tenderness to the cake crumb.
- Cake mix
- Supplies the flour, sugar and leavening that form the cupcake base.
The step that matters
Do not stir the layered batter. Stirring blends the colored batters together, so the distinct rainbow layers turn muddy. Gently spooning each color into the cup keeps the stripes separate as the cake bakes.
“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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