How To Make Cake Flour

Here’s a simple two-ingredient recipe to make cake flour at home!

If you’re not an avid cake baker, you probably don’t keep cake flour on hand. You might even be wondering, is it really necessary? What makes cake flour different from regular flour? 

The answer is simple! Cake flour produces the lightest and most tender cakes and cupcakes. Who doesn’t want that?

This specialty flour results in a finer and softer texture than something baked using all-purpose flour. The best part is that you only need two ingredients to make it! 

Ingredients You’ll Need

• All-purpose flour (or plain flour)
• Cornstarch (or cornflour)

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Measure 1 cup of all-purpose flour. Remove two tablespoons, and return it to the flour bag. 
2. Add two tablespoons of cornstarch to the all-purpose flour.
3. Sift the ingredients into a mixing bowl or mix the ingredients with a whisk.
4. Now you have homemade cake flour that is ready to use in any recipe.

Notes and Substitutions

Essentially, you will need two tablespoons of cornstarch for every 14 tablespoons of all-purpose flour. That’s two tablespoons of cornstarch for every 3/4 cup of all-purpose flour.

Key Tips

• If you are going to sift the ingredients together, measure out 1 cup again from the sifted mixture. Sifting the ingredients will produce more volume by adding more air.
• Cake flour is not suited for all recipes. If the recipe calls for many wet ingredients, such as a carrot cake, you’ll want to use all-purpose flour because it will provide more structure.

FAQs

What is cake flour?

Cake flour is a finely milled, light, and airy flour produced with a low protein content of about 6% to 8%. Cake flour is usually used when the baker wants a fine, fluffy, and tender texture. 

What is the difference between cake flour and plain or all-purpose flour?

The main difference between cake flour, all-purpose flour, and bread flour is the protein content! 

• Cake flour has a low protein level, producing a super soft texture.
• All-purpose flour has a medium level of protein which produces a universal texture.
• Plain flour has a high protein level, producing a hard, dense texture.

The amount of protein in flour correlates to gluten formation. 

• Less gluten development results in fluffier, softer textures. This is great for cakes and cupcakes.
• High gluten development results in harder, chewier textures. This is better suited for bread. 

What are the best uses for cake flour?

Cake flour is best used when making tender, delicate treats that do not need a high gluten content, such as cakes and cupcakes. 

Do I have to use cake flour when baking a cake?

No, you don’t always have to use cake flour. You can still make tasty cakes and cupcakes using plain flour; however, they might not be as soft or tender. 

Do I still need baking powder when using cake flour?

Yes! You will still need to use baking powder or baking soda in your cake because cake flour does not contain a raising agent.

What is the difference between whisking and sifting flour?

Whisking and sifting flour are both good for aeration. Sifting the flour creates a much finer separation of the grain particles, which allows for a lighter, finer cake texture. 

In terms of simply distributing dry ingredients, whisking would work just fine.

Cake Recipes

• Vegan Lemon Cake
• Vegan Lemon Pound Cake
• Vegan Vanilla Cake
• Vegan Pineapple Upside Down Cake

More Baking Tips

• How To Make Cakes Without Parchment Paper
• How To Make Vanilla Extract
• Vegan Milk Substitutes for Baking
• How To Measure Baking Ingredients Correctly