Coffee Filling for Cake

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.

1. Sugar + vanillatop 8% of all pairs
   Smell alikelow
   Cooked together35,032 recipes

   Shared aroma: beta-damascenone (apple, rose).

2. Coffee + vanillatop 9% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together1,391 recipes

   Shared aroma: sotolon (curry, maple).

3. Butter + vanillatop 14% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together20,050 recipes

   Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).

4. Sugar + coffeetop 17% of all pairs
   Smell alikelow
   Cooked together4,344 recipes

   Shared aroma: beta-damascenone (apple, rose).

5. Butter + sugartop 17% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together98,233 recipes

   Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).

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

Unsalted butter

Provides fat and creaminess, giving the filling a smooth, rich body.

Powdered sugar

Adds sweetness and, dissolved into the butter, gives the filling a smooth, stable texture.

Cold coffee

Adds liquid and a deep coffee flavour that complements the sweetness.

The step that matters