Why it works: Flour and egg are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 15% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 106,462 recipes. Both carry isobutyraldehyde, which smells malty, green. The science ↓
Lep Kuchen or Spice Cake
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the batter
Reserve the whites of 2 eggs for icing.
Beat the remaining 5 eggs with 1 pound light brown sugar until fluffy.
In a bowl, combine 3 1/2 cups flour, 1 cup dark molasses, 1/2 cup finely shredded citron, blanched almonds, pecans, grated rind, juice of 1 lemon, 2 heaping teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 1 teaspoon each of cinnamon, cloves, and a spice.
Gradually add the dry mixture to the egg mixture, mixing until just combined.
Divide the batter between 2 large baking pans.
Bake and ice
Bake in a slow fire until done.
While still warm, cut into small squares and apply icing made from the reserved egg whites.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 2 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 1 cup (125g) all-purpose | 455 |
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
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.
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Flour + eggtop 15% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together106,462 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
Flour and egg barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 106,462 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
- Flour
- Provides the structure that holds the spiced crumb together as it bakes.
- Eggs
- Add structure and richness, and help the batter set as it bakes.
- Citron
- Adds a bright, fragrant citrus flavour that cuts through the sweetness.
- Baking powder
- Releases gas as it heats, lifting the batter so the cake rises and stays light.
The step that matters
Mixing the dry mixture into the eggs. Add the dry mixture gradually and stop mixing once combined. Overmixing develops the flour's gluten, which makes the cake tough and dense instead of tender.
“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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