Choosing and Using Cake Flour
The difference between a tender, airy crumb and a tough, bread-like structure often comes down to the flour you pull from the pantry. When a recipe calls for cake flour, it is specifically asking for a lighter foundation that allows fats and sugars to hold the structure without becoming chewy.
Know your protein levels.
Understand that protein is the fuel for gluten; the higher the protein, the stronger and more structured your bake becomes. For delicate cakes, we want to starve the gluten, not build it.
- fine mesh sieve
- kitchen scale
- airtight storage container
What goes in.
- 1 cupcake flour
- 2 tbspcornstarch (for the DIY substitute)
Engineering the starch balance
If you are out of cake flour, remove 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour from a 1-cup measure and replace them with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Sift the mixture together five times to fully integrate and aerate the components.
The method.
Check the protein content
Look at the side of the box. You want a protein count between 7% and 9%. Anything higher belongs in a muffin or a loaf of bread.
Sift before measuring
Cake flour compresses easily in the bag. Always sift it before you measure it into your cup, or use a scale to measure by weight to ensure you aren't packing too much flour into your batter.
Aerate the dry mix
After adding your flour to the other dry ingredients, sift the entire dry mixture together. This ensures the starch is evenly distributed, which is essential for an even rise.
Other turns to take.
DIY Blend
Standard bleached all-purpose flour cut with cornstarch to physically inhibit gluten strands from forming.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Always store cake flour in an airtight container; it absorbs moisture and odors from the pantry faster than high-protein flours.
If your cake requires a very tall, light structure, sift the flour at least three times before folding it into your wet ingredients.
Do not use cake flour for yeast-based doughs; it lacks the strength to hold the gases produced during proofing.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I use self-rising cake flour?
Only if your recipe does not call for additional baking powder or salt. If you do use it, omit those leavening agents from your ingredient list or your cake will rise too quickly and then collapse.
Why is cake flour bleached?
The bleaching process changes the starch properties, allowing it to absorb more liquid and fat than unbleached flour, which keeps the cake soft for a longer period.
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