Name: Hot Fudge Cake
Ingredients: 1/3 c-butter 1 c-sugar 2 egg yolks 2 squares; 1 c-sugar 2 egg yolks 2 squares; 2 egg yolks 2 squares; 2 squares; 1/2 c-molasses 1/2 c-sour milk 1/2 c-hot water 2 c-flour 1 t-cinnamon 1 t-soda 1; 1/2 c-sour milk 1/2 c-hot water 2 c-flour 1 t-cinnamon 1 t-soda 1 t-baking powde; 1/2 c-hot water 2 c-flour 1 t-cinnamon 1 t-soda 1 t-baking powder 1/4 t-salt 1 t; 2 c-flour 1 t-cinnamon 1 t-soda 1 t-baking powder 1/4 t-salt 1 t-vanilla 2 egg w; 1 t-cinnamon 1 t-soda 1 t-baking powder 1/4 t-salt 1 t-vanilla 2 egg whites cr; 1 t-soda 1 t-baking powder 1/4 t-salt 1 t-vanilla 2 egg whites cream the butte; 1 t-baking powder 1/4 t-salt 1 t-vanilla 2 egg whites cream the butter; 1/4 t-salt 1 t-vanilla 2 egg whites cream the butter; 1 t-vanilla 2 egg whites cream the butter; 2 egg whites cream the butter; one-half full; one cool morning; one himself; four kinds of white sauces; twelve buns; 1/2 c-butter 1 c-sugar 1 egg-yolk 1/2 c-milk 1-3/4 c-flour 3 t-baking powder 1 t; 1 c-sugar 1 egg-yolk 1/2 c-milk 1-3/4 c-flour 3 t-baking powder 1 t-cinnamon 1/4; 1 egg-yolk 1/2 c-milk 1-3/4 c-flour 3 t-baking powder 1 t-cinnamon 1/4 t-powdere; 1/2 c-milk 1-3/4 c-flour 3 t-baking powder 1 t-cinnamon 1/4 t-powdered cloves 1; 1-3/4 c-flour 3 t-baking powder 1 t-cinnamon 1/4 t-powdered cloves 1 egg-white b; 3 t-baking powder 1 t-cinnamon 1/4 t-powdered cloves 1 egg-white beaten stiffly; 1 t-cinnamon 1/4 t-powdered cloves 1 egg-white beaten stiffly 1 t-vanilla 1/2 c; 1/4 t-powdered cloves 1 egg-white beaten stiffly 1 t-vanilla 1/2 c-currants cr; 1 egg-white beaten stiffly 1 t-vanilla 1/2 c-currants cream the butter; 1 t-vanilla 1/2 c-currants cream the butter; 1/2 c-currants cream the butter

Why it works: Cinnamon and vanilla match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 5,287 recipes. Both carry 4-methoxybenzaldehyde, which smells sweet, anise. The science ↓

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.

Cinnamon + vanillatop 1% of all pairs

Smell alikestrong

Cooked together5,287 recipes

Shared aroma: 4-methoxybenzaldehyde (sweet, anise).
Milk + vanillatop 5% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together19,187 recipes

Shared aroma: ethyl caproate (fruity, apple peel).
Butter + milktop 7% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together81,283 recipes

Shared aroma: (z)-4-heptenal (biscuit, cream).
Sugar + vanillatop 8% of all pairs

Smell alikelow

Cooked together35,032 recipes

Shared aroma: beta-damascenone (apple, rose).
Flour + cinnamontop 9% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together17,341 recipes

Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).

Sugar and vanilla barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 35,032 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

Egg whites: Beaten stiff and folded in, they lighten the batter and help it rise.
Melted chocolate (in the method): Adds rich flavour and deep colour, and contributes fat that tenderises the crumb.
Butter: Creamed with sugar to trap air, adding fat that gives a tender texture.
Molasses: Adds moisture, dark colour and a deep sweetness to the cake.
Flour: Provides the structure that holds the cake together as it bakes.

The step that matters

Folding in the stiffly beaten egg whites. Egg whites hold air only when beaten stiff and kept intact. Overmixing after adding them deflates the foam, leaving a denser cake with less lift.

Swap the vanilla

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (butter, sugar, egg, molasses, milk, flour, cinnamon):

Raisinfits about as well
Vanillathe original
Figfits less well
Blueberryfits less well

Fit is the average pairing score against butter, sugar, egg, molasses, milk, flour, cinnamon. 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.

Ingredient	Portion assumed	kcal
Milk	1 cup (244ml) whole	149
Butter	1 tbsp (14g)	102
Egg	1 large egg (50g)	78
Cream	1 tbsp (15ml) heavy	51
Sugar	1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated	49
Clove	1 tsp ground (2g)	7
Cinnamon	1 tsp ground (2.6g)	6
Salt	1 tsp (6g)	0
Water	not in our table	0
Sauce	not in our table	0

Hot Fudge Cake

Hot Fudge Cake

Ingredients

Directions

Make the batter

Bake and serve

Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)