You say I can have

The spice—and the flowers, too

Icing on the cake

I have a hard time grasping that Methyl Diantilis® is categorized as a spicy heart note. To me, it’s all vanilla icing. Day-old, hardened frosting that has concentrated the warm sweetness of a smooth cream. With a hint of banana, even. My nose knows no chemistry, but it’s certainly validated by the fun fact that Methyl Diantilis is synthesized from ethyl vanillin. The name is a tribute to the powdery aspect of carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus).

Perhaps that perception of warmth is the subtle spiciness doing its job. The maximum recommended concentration in a perfume is 3%. What is the recommended proportion of confectioner’s sugar on a cake?