Make Your Own Cake Flour

Tis the season to be baking, but if your recipe calls for cake flour and you don’t have any, don’t fret! It’s super simple to make your own cake flour in about two minutes flat. By the way, have you ever wondered what made cake flour so wonderfully light and fluffy?

Make Your Own Cake Flour

Well, it contains a secret ingredient- one that is so simple you won’t believe you’ve been spending extra money on “Cake Flour” this entire time when you could have been making your own at a fraction of the price.

Cake flour is generally used in more delicate baked goods such as cakes and cookies. The flour is finely milled and usually bleached. It creates a very light, fluffy cake which is due to it’s lower protein content. The added starch in the flour helps hold larger amounts of fat and sugar without “collapsing”, giving it a light, fluffy texture, rather than a heavier, condensed brownie-like texture.

When to Use Cake Flour

Cake flour is great in any baking recipe that requires a light, fluffy outcome. It’s perfect for cakes, mug cakes, cupcakes, coffee cakes, crumb cakes, and muffins. Cake flour doesn’t contain any rising agents, such as baking soda or baking powder so it cannot be used as self-rising flour.

How to Make Cake Flour

You’ll Need:
All-Purpose Flour
Cornstarch

For every (1) cup of all-purpose flour (remove 2 Tablespoons of flour) and add 2 Tablespoons of cornstarch in its place to = 1 cup of cake flour.

To ensure the ingredients are completely mixed, combine the flour and cornstarch and run them through a sifter into a container. If you don’t like to use a sifter, you can place the ingredients in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment for 1 minute.

Photo by Erin Waynick

Cake flour should not be used to make bread, as it does not contain enough protein to form proper gluten. Also, keep in mind that flour should ALWAYS be measured by weight, never by “cup”.

Bulk Batch Homemade Cake Flour

You’ll Need:
7 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cornstarch

Sift the flour and cornstarch together to ensure they are completely mixed. Store tightly covered.

Substituting Cake Flour for All-Purpose Flour

If you have already purchased cake flour and need to substitute it for all-purpose flour in on of your recipes, you can use one cup plus two tablespoons of cake flour in place of every one cup of all-purpose flour.