Why it works: Chocolate and vanilla are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 5% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 10,020 recipes. Both carry sotolon, which smells curry, maple. The science ↓
Chocolate Cakes
Ingredients
Directions
The book says “a moderate oven”. The 350°F (175°C) in the steps is the modern equivalent, not the book's own figure.
Melt the chocolate in water.
Separate the egg whites from the yolks.
Beat the egg whites to a stiff froth.
Cream the butter and sugar together.
Add the flour, egg yolks, dissolved chocolate, and vanilla to the mixture.
Gently fold in the beaten egg whites.
Half-fill eight greased patty tins with the mixture.
Bake in a moderate oven at 350°F (175°C) for 20 minutes.
Ensure the chocolate is cold before adding it to the mixture.
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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Chocolate + vanillatop 5% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together10,020 recipes
Shared aroma: sotolon (curry, maple).
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Vanilla + sugartop 8% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together35,032 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-damascenone (apple, rose).
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Flour + buttertop 12% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together124,287 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
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Flour + vanillatop 12% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together19,241 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
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Chocolate + sugartop 13% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together15,404 recipes
Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).
Vanilla and sugar 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
- Eggs
- Whites trap air when beaten, giving the cake lift; yolks add richness and help bind the batter.
- Flour
- Provides the structure that holds the cake's crumb together as it sets.
- Butter
- Adds fat for a tender texture and rich flavour, and helps trap air when creamed with sugar.
- Sugar
- Sweetens the cake and helps the butter cream to a light, aerated base.
- Chocolate
- Gives the cake its chocolate flavour and adds richness and moisture.
The step that matters
Gently fold in the beaten egg whites. The whites hold air bubbles that make the cake rise. Vigorous stirring deflates the foam, leaving a dense, flat cake, so fold slowly with a spatula until just combined.
“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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