How to Make Cake Flour – Learn how to make your own cake flour at home. An easy two-ingredient substitute.
Have you ever started to make a cake, muffins, or another baked good only to find that recipe calls for a specialty flour like cake flour? I have. Plenty of times. It is a flour that I hardly ever keep on hand.
Thankfully, you can make your own with ingredients that you most likely do always have on hand!
What is Cake Flour?
Cake flour is a light flour made of soft wheat flour that has been chlorinated to produce flour with about 6-8% protein content and a beautiful texture.
Why Do You Use Cake Flour Instead of Regular All-Purpose Flour?
Since cake flour has such a low protein content, it produces less gluten when used in recipes. Therefore, it is primarily used in baking recipes for cakes, cookies, and muffins when a soft texture and light, airy result is desired. It is perfect for using when baking white cakes or cupcakes, as well as tea cakes.
What Two Ingredients Do You Need to Make Cake Flour?
You only need two ingredients that you probably keep on hand: cornstarch and all-purpose flour.
For every cup of cake flour called for in a recipe, measure one cup of all-purpose flour, remove 2 tablespoons of the flour, and then add the flour to a mixing bowl. Add in 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and whisk well to combine.
Voila! Problem solved.
Do You Have to Use Cake Flour in Recipes?
No, you absolutely do not. If you are using low-protein flour, such as White Lily, then these flours are considered great for baking. The low protein content of the flour makes the a great general-use flour, but also a perfect flour for baking.
If you are using a higher protein flour, I would consider using this recipe to lighten the protein content of the flour so that you have light, airy cake, and moist muffins!
Here’s how you make it.
How to Make Cake Flour
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Measure 1 level cup of all-purpose flour, remove 2 tablespoons of the flour and then place the flour into a bowl.
- Add 2 tablespoons of cornstarch to the all-purpose flour. Whisk together to combine and use as a substitute for 1 cup cake flour.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
You may also want to check out how to make your own self-rising flour substitute. It’s pretty life-changing if you ask me.
Enjoy!
Robyn
So happy to find a way to make my own cake flour. Sold out at all local stores and too late to get on time for when I need it which is now. Thank you so very much for posting this.
Thanks, Elsie. I love that I can make the amount of flour I need whenever I need it. So glad it helped you.
There is no cake flour in any supermarkets in the UK and lately the recipes I want to use all require it. I don’t know why stores don’t stock it here. This is a very useful tip, thank you.
I’m so glad this helped you, Susan!
Thank you,
I’m definitely bookmarking this post. I can’t tell you how many trips to the store this one tip will save me. Or SEVERAL stores, because I never know which one will have cake flour on any given day. You’re the greatest, Joy!
I’m so happy this has helped you, Jennifer!
Hello Robyn, just wondering if the all purpose flour should be bleached or Unbleached ? Thank you
I use White Lily flour which is a bleached all-purpose flour.
Thank you for your help. I only had half the amount of cake flour that the recipe called for.
Question: since I am always in need of cake flour, can I have several prepared in a jar and just use whats needed? Example, have 10 cups all purpose flour (minus 2 tablespoons for each cup) along with the 20 tablespoons of cornstarch all in the same jar and just take the amount needed for each recipe?
Hi Anne,
You can make several batches of the cake flour and store in an airtight container so you always have it ready to use as you need it. Enjoy!
How to convert bread flour to all purpose flour? And bread flour to cake flour. Also my question too is whenever I bake cookies for my grandkids the texture is more like a bread using bread flour. Thank youÂ
Hi Clarita,
You need to start with all-purpose flour for baking. Bread flour has more protein and does not work well for baking cookies and cakes. Thanks. Hope this helps.
Robyn – adding just 2 TBSP of cornstarch to the 3/4 of flour is just shy 2 TBSP of 1 C. Do you sift the flour afterwards to get the volume that will makeup the total 1 C.?
Question: I’m planning on using this for a cake tomorrow. Do I sift the AP flour before I measure it? Or, do I sift the AP flour + cornstarch together afterwards? Help! Thanks!
I never knew how to do this. Thanks, you just saved me a grocery store trip.