Why it works: Molasses and egg are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 22% of all ingredient pairs, and 6,872 recipes mention both. The science ↓
The recipe
Ingredients
Contains: egg, milk, wheat, tree nuts (auto-detected from the ingredients and method; we can miss things, so check labels)
Also mentioned in the method: nuts
Directions
Make the sponge
Combine 2 cups skimmed milk, 4 tablespoons yeast, and 4½ cups flour to make a sponge.
Mix the batter
In a separate bowl, mix 2 cups (1 lb.) butter, 2 cups boiled molasses cooled to lukewarm, 3 cups nuts, raisins, citron or coconut, and 4‑4½ cups flour (part for fruit). Optionally add the whites of 2 eggs with the 4 cups of flour.
Combine and finish
When the sponge has risen, combine it with the batter and steam or bake.
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 aroma chemistry they share, and how many recipes mention both.
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Molasses + eggtop 22% of all pairsAroma overlaplowMentioned together6,872 recipes
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Milk + flourtop 8% of all pairsAroma overlaplowMentioned together76,993 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
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Flour + eggtop 8% of all pairsAroma overlaplowMentioned together104,138 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
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Milk + eggtop 9% of all pairsAroma overlapmoderateMentioned together88,465 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
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Flour + molassestop 9% of all pairsAroma overlaplowMentioned together10,318 recipes
Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).
Milk and flour share little aroma chemistry, yet 76,993 recipes mention both: they likely 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
- Forms the structure of the cake batter and sponge as its proteins set during cooking.
- Yeast (in the method)
- Produces gas in the sponge, causing it to rise before it is mixed into the batter.
- Molasses
- Adds sweetness, dark colour, and moisture, and helps the cake brown.
- Butter (in the method)
- Adds fat for richness and a tender crumb.
- Eggs
- Add structure and help bind the batter; the whites can lighten its texture.
The step that matters
Combining the sponge after it has risen. Yeast needs time to ferment and raise the sponge. Adding it to the batter before it has fully risen leaves the cake with less lift, so wait until the sponge has risen before combining.
“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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