Why it works: Sugar and molasses are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 11% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 9,225 recipes. Both carry ethanol, which smells alcoholic, ethereal. The science ↓
Coffee 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 the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Make the batter
In a mixing bowl, cream together the sugar, molasses, and butter.
Stir in the cold coffee, baking soda, and salt until well combined.
Pour the batter into a greased baking pan.
Bake
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
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.
-
Sugar + molassestop 11% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together9,225 recipes
Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).
-
Sugar + coffeetop 17% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together4,344 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-damascenone (apple, rose).
-
Sugar + buttertop 17% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together98,233 recipes
Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).
-
Molasses + coffeetop 18% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together640 recipes
Shared aroma: furaneol (caramel, strawberry).
-
Butter + coffeetop 23% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together2,442 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-furfurylthiol (coffee, roasted).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Butter
- Adds fat that makes the cake tender and rich.
- Baking soda
- Reacts with the acidic molasses to produce gas that helps the cake rise.
- Molasses
- Adds sweetness, moisture, and a deep flavor, and its acidity activates the baking soda.
- Sugar
- Sweetens the cake and helps it brown while creaming adds air to the batter.
- Cold coffee
- Provides liquid that hydrates the batter and adds a roasted aroma.
The step that matters
Stir in the cold coffee, baking soda, and salt until well combined. Mixing only until combined keeps the batter light. Overmixing develops gluten, which can make the cake tough and dense, and the baking soda should be evenly distributed so the cake rises uniformly.
“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.
More coffee cake recipes
You might also like
Molasses Cookies96 recipes
Coffee Ice Cream91 recipes
Molasses Cake90 recipes
Coffee Custard27 recipesThe free Flavor Lab newsletter: one surprising pairing a week and the molecular reason it works, in 60 seconds. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Prefer an account? Create a free account to save pairings and unlock the full chemistry.