Why it works: Sugar and molasses are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 11% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 9,225 recipes. Both carry ethanol, which smells alcoholic, ethereal. The science ↓
Coffee Cake
Ingredients
Directions
Stir the soda into the molasses.
Mix the eggs, butter, brown sugar, strong coffee, flour and raisins with the molasses.
Season with nutmeg, allspice and cinnamon to taste.
Bake slowly.
A little whisky improves it.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 5 of 6 ingredients. The other 1 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Butter | 1 tbsp (14g) | 102 |
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Grape | 1/2 cup (76g) | 62 |
| Molasses | 1 tbsp (20g) | 58 |
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
| Cake | 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.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures. See the original page.
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.
-
Sugar + molassestop 11% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together9,225 recipes
Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).
-
Molasses + raisintop 12% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together3,577 recipes
Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).
-
Sugar + raisintop 13% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together12,481 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-damascenone (apple, rose).
-
Butter + eggtop 17% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together118,967 recipes
Shared aroma: decanal (soap, orange peel).
-
Butter + sugartop 17% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together98,233 recipes
Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Eggs
- Bind the batter and add structure and moisture as they set during baking.
- Butter
- Adds fat for a tender crumb and rich flavour.
- Molasses
- Adds sweetness, moisture and dark colour, and its acidity reacts with the soda.
- Baking soda
- Reacts with the acidic molasses to produce gas that helps the cake rise.
- Flour (in the method)
- Provides the main structure that holds the cake together as it bakes.
- Brown sugar
- Adds sweetness, moisture and caramel-like flavour, and helps the crust brown.
The step that matters
Bake slowly.. This batter is rich in sugar and molasses, which brown quickly. Baking slowly lets the centre set and rise before the outside darkens or scorches.
Swap the raisin
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (butter, sugar, molasses, egg, tea):
- Vanillafits better
- Figfits about as well
- Raisinthe original
- Peachfits about as well
Fit is the average pairing score against butter, sugar, molasses, egg, tea. 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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