Name: Chocolate Web Cake
Yield: 1 -4 layer 9 inch round cake
Ingredients: 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon baking soda; 1 1/2 cups white sugar; 1/2 cup shortening; 1 1/4 cups evaporated milk; 2 eggs; 2 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate, melted; 1 1/3 cups shortening; 1 1/3 cups white sugar; 3/4 cup evaporated milk; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 2 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate, melted

Why it works: Chocolate and vanilla are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 5% of all ingredient pairs, and 10,020 recipes mention both. Both carry sotolon, which smells curry, maple. The science ↓

Explore the science

The flavor team

The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much aroma chemistry they share, and how many recipes mention both.

Chocolate + vanillatop 5% of all pairs

Aroma overlapmoderate

Mentioned together10,020 recipes

Shared aroma: sotolon (curry, maple).
Sugar + vanillatop 8% of all pairs

Aroma overlaplow

Mentioned together35,032 recipes

Shared aroma: beta-damascenone (apple, rose).
Sugar + evaporated milktop 11% of all pairs

Aroma overlapmoderate

Mentioned together804 recipes

Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).
Flour + vanillatop 12% of all pairs

Aroma overlapmoderate

Mentioned together19,241 recipes

Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
Sugar + chocolatetop 13% of all pairs

Aroma overlapmoderate

Mentioned together15,404 recipes

Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).

Sugar and vanilla share little aroma chemistry, yet 35,032 recipes mention both: they likely work on texture and structure more than aroma.

Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs

Chocolate Web Cake