Why it works: Allspice and clove match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 7,874 recipes. Both carry estragole, which smells anise, licorice. The science ↓
Fruit Cake
Ingredients
Directions
Make the batter
Cream the butter and sugar.
Add the molasses.
Add the eggs, which have been beaten separately.
Add the flour, which has been slightly browned.
Add the soda.
Add the spices, which have been dissolved in the whisky.
Add fruit and bake
Dredge the fruit with flour and add to the batter last.
Bake in a very slow oven for three and a half hours.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 6 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Molasses | 1 tbsp (20g) | 58 |
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
| Nutmeg | 1 tsp ground (2.2g) | 12 |
| Clove | 1 tsp ground (2g) | 7 |
| Allspice | 1 tsp ground (1.9g) | 5 |
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.
-
Allspice + clovetop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together7,874 recipes
Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).
-
Allspice + nutmegtop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together3,331 recipes
Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).
-
Nutmeg + clovetop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together8,686 recipes
Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).
-
Molasses + clovetop 13% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together3,483 recipes
Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).
-
Molasses + allspicetop 14% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together1,508 recipes
Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Butter (in the method)
- Adds fat that makes the batter rich and gives a tender crumb.
- Eggs
- Bind the batter and add structure as they set during baking.
- Flour (in the method)
- Provides the structure that holds the cake together as it bakes.
- Molasses
- Adds sweetness, moisture and a dark colour and deep flavour.
- Soda
- Reacts with the acidic molasses to release gas, helping the cake rise.
The step that matters
Dredge the fruit with flour and add it last. Flour coats the fruit so it is less likely to sink to the bottom of the batter. Folding it in at the end keeps the batter from being overworked, which would toughen the crumb.
Swap the clove
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (molasses, allspice, nutmeg, egg):
- Cinnamonfits better
- Clovethe original
- Gingerfits less well
- Cardamomfits less well
Fit is the average pairing score against molasses, allspice, nutmeg, egg. 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.
More fruit cake recipes
You might also like
Molasses Cookies96 recipes
Molasses Cake90 recipes
Clove Cake53 recipes
Molasses Sponge Cake9 recipesThe free Flavor Lab newsletter: one surprising pairing a week and the molecular reason it works, in 60 seconds. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Prefer an account? Create a free account to save pairings and unlock the full chemistry.