Why it works: Apple and cinnamon are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 4% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 5,598 recipes. Both carry methyl cinnamate, which smells strawberry. The science ↓
Apple Cake
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. The book gives no cooking times; the times in the steps were added in transcription, so check for doneness rather than trusting the clock.
Prepare the batter
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Mix and sift the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg and mix it with the milk.
Add the egg and milk mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until combined.
Spread the batter in a buttered pan.
Top and bake
Wipe, quarter, core, and peel the apples, then cut them into eighths.
Lay the apple slices on top of the batter, pressing the sharp edges in.
Sprinkle the cinnamon and fruit sugar mixture over the apples.
Bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown.
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.
Photo for illustrative purposes only · Contact us to use it
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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Apple + cinnamontop 4% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together5,598 recipes
Shared aroma: methyl cinnamate (strawberry).
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Milk + buttertop 7% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together81,283 recipes
Shared aroma: (z)-4-heptenal (biscuit, cream).
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Flour + cinnamontop 9% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together17,341 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
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Milk + cinnamontop 10% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together12,655 recipes
Shared aroma: cuminaldehyde (Spicy, cumin).
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Sugar + cinnamontop 10% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together30,779 recipes
Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).
Sugar and cinnamon barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 30,779 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
- All-purpose flour
- Forms the main structure of the cake batter as its proteins set in the oven.
- Egg
- Binds the batter and adds structure and richness as it sets.
- Baking powder
- Releases gas in the batter, helping the cake rise and become light.
- Milk
- Hydrates the flour and adds moisture and tenderness to the batter.
- Butter
- Adds fat that tenderizes the crumb and contributes flavor and browning.
- Apples
- Provide moisture, tartness and fruity flavor as they soften and bake into the cake.
The step that matters
Pressing the apple slices into the batter. Pressing the sharp edges in helps the slices sit securely in the batter rather than sliding off or sticking up and burning. Good contact lets the batter rise around the fruit and hold it in place as it bakes.
Swap the apple
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (flour, egg, milk, butter, sugar, cinnamon):
- Vanillafits better
- Raisinfits better
- Figfits better
- Applethe original
Fit is the average pairing score against flour, egg, milk, butter, sugar, cinnamon. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.
“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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