Why it works: Molasses and flour are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 16% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 10,429 recipes. Both carry ethanol, which smells alcoholic, ethereal. The science ↓
Sponge Molasses Cake
Ingredients
Directions
The book gives no oven temperature. The 350°F (175°C) in the steps was added when the recipe was transcribed, as a starting point. The book gives no cooking times either; the times in the steps were added in transcription, so check for doneness rather than trusting the clock.
Prepare
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
Make the batter
In a large bowl, cream the shortening until smooth.
Add the molasses and mix well.
Dissolve the baking soda in the boiling water and add it to the mixture.
Gradually stir in the flour until fully combined.
Bake
Pour the batter into a greased cake pan and bake for 30-35 minutes.
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.
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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Molasses + flourtop 16% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together10,429 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
- Shortening
- Creates a tender crumb by coating flour and keeping the cake soft.
- Molasses
- Adds moisture, deep sweetness and a dark color to the cake.
- Baking soda
- Reacts with the molasses's acidity to produce gas that lifts the batter.
- Flour
- Provides the structure that sets as the cake bakes.
The step that matters
Dissolve the baking soda in the boiling water and add it to the mixture.. Baking soda must be fully dissolved so it reacts evenly with the molasses; clumps cause pockets of bitter taste and uneven rising.
“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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