For an updated version of this method, click here.
Cake flour. Let’s face facts: I never have cake flour on hand when I need it. Luckily, there’s a super easy way to turn good old all-purpose flour into cake flour, lightening your cake crumb, making it super soft and delicious. Maybe you already know this trick. It’s a good one.
Here’s a step by step. From me to you!
How to Turn All-Purpose Flour into Cake Flour
Step One: Measure out the all-purpose flour that you’ll need for your recipe.
Step Two: For every cup of flour you use, take out two tablespoons of flour and return it to the flour bin. Throw the cup of flour (minus the two tablespoons) into a sifter set over a bowl.
Step Three: Replace the two tablespoons of flour that your removed with two tablespoons of cornstarch.
Step Four: Sift the flour and cornstarch together. Sift it again, and again and again. The cornstarch and flour need to be well incorporated and the flour aerated. Sift the flour and cornstarch mixture about five times. Look at that! You just made cake flour!
Katie Coupe
Does this work for sponge mixes please.
joythebaker
Yes!
Tonya
It’s important to note that this trick will still yield a different texture than true cake flour (I prefer to use the unbleached) because a different portion of the wheat kernel is used. Cake flour uses only the soft inner most part of the kernel and all purpose flour uses all but the bran. So for the baker that uses cake flour occasionally this may be a good option but for those that use cake flour regularly it would be better to purchase true cake flour. If you can not get your hands on cake flour but bake often professional bakers recommend finding a recipe that is formulated for the ingredients available to you for the best flavor and texture results.
Judy Coe
When I lived in Colorado a friend gave me a recipe that she called Spice Cake. It was baked in two 8 x 4 loaf pans. Ingredients included salad dressing, molasses, dates and marschino cherries. There were no eggs in the recipe. It was great for Christmas if you did not like regular fruit cake which is so heavy. I have lost my recipe. Does anyone have this recipe that they would share??
leah johansson
hi, its very difficult to find all purpose flour here in Sweden. Can I use regular flour for this recipe? thank you
Mahnaz
Hello,leah johansson
You can buy T45 flour is equaivalent to Type 00 italian flour, Euro 450 flour or American cake flour .All of the name are same . An all-purpose flour can also be ‘00’. Even if you find Type 000 or 0000 flour, it is very good for cakes.Because they have got a low protein.
robin
Can you make a few pounds of this and store it if you’re going to use it within a month or so?
joythebaker
Yes indeed!
Amy
Thank you. I had no idea you could make your own
Steve
Well, that won’t work. My wife and some of my grandkids are allergic to all forms of corn. I wonder if potato starch or something else will work the same
joythebaker
I’m not sure, I haven’t tested that yet. If you try it let me know how it turns out.
mrsmichellegoldsmith
Like most others, I never have special purpose flours to hand, so this is a game-changer — cheers!
Carol
No one has mentioned this, but does cake flour give you less crumb? I want to make a molded bunny cake but I don’t want it falling to pieces when I cut into it.
joythebaker
Yes, it cake flour could work. Good luck on the bunny cake!
Kurikulum 2013
I get a lot of inspiration from reading the article on your website, thank you for sharing
Sanjukta
Can cornflour be used instead of corn starch?
joythebaker
They’re different things. You’ll need cornstarch.
John S
When scrolling thru the comments, it takes forever to get to the newest ones. Is there an easier way…?
John S
Great tip. I do a similar method. (APF= all purpose flour)
Cake flour: 2 T corn or potato starch into measuring cup, then fill with APF. Then, sieve 3 times.
Bread flour: 1 tsp vital wheat gluten and fill with APF.
Self-rising: Cake flour + 1/2 tsp salt + 1 T baking powder
Bisquick: Self-rising + 1 T shortening (mix well)
Baking powder: 1 part baking soda + 2 parts cream of tartar + 1 part corn or potato starch (mix well).
Forestwoodfolkart
I don’t think I have ever seen corn starch available in my supermarkets. Would Cornflour be similar? Or arrowroot? Could I substitute with that?
John S
Hi:
Cornstarch is called cornflour in some countries.
Erlinda T. Anthony
Linda Anthony: Equivalent to make all purpose flour to cake flour the easy way with its equivalent: 7 cups of all purpose flour, use 1 cup of corn starch, the do the sifting. You can now have an easy way or the clean way of making it. If ever you need to make your recipe easier let me know. I will do it for you please reply. We bake a lot in the Greek Orthodox Church in Brockton,MA that’s where I learned ho to bake.
Daisy
Would whole wheat flour work ok? Thanks:)
joythebaker
Yes, but it will not be as light as cake flour
Sandy Brown
how long after expiration date can flour be used. Will you still be able to taste the refrigerator smell of flour after it is used?
joythebaker
I wouldn’t use flour after the expiration date. If you’re finding it picks up the taste of your refrigerator, remember to store it in an air-tight container.
lou
Hi so a few questions- firstly is the cup US or UK cup measure? And when measuring the flour do you spoon the flour into the cup or do you just scoop the flour up, with the cup?
Cup measures are not very precise and flour can be densely packed into a cup when scooped, whereas it wouldn’t be densely packed if spooned in, therefore there would be more flour in the former than the latter method.
Grams is a better measurement…
K. Edwards
Thanks for this great tip!! Just realized my cake flour expired and thought I’d check for a substitution tip ~ and there it was!! You just saved me a trip to the grocery store! :-)
Ruth Darnowski
I shopped for cake flour in the store and discovered the box of cake flour was 2 or $3,00 more than regular. I always have corn starch in my closet and I am glad I found I can use it for the recipe for cake flour.
Srividya
Hi, jus need a small clarification. Is corn flour and corn starch flour one and the same? Or are they different?
Kimberly Coleman
I have a recipe that calls for both cake flour and corn starch – would that be why the cake is so dry?
Nancy Duggan
Couldn’t one give the flour and cornstarch a spin in the food processor rather than all that sifting?
Ruth Williams
Thanks! I’m 14 miles from the grocery store and didn’t want to drive into town today after realizing I didn’t plan well for my husbands birthday after the Thanksgiving holiday! Needless to say I’m thankful for your tip! And I love all the sharing and tips in the comments, great give and take!
Fran
Wow! Thank you for the trick of making cake flour, it is easy and the best. I always dislike the taste of cake flour from the commercial box; I can always taste the chemical in it when I bake a cake that requires it. Now I can make cakes to satisfy my family.
Theresa Plata
Thanks so much
Billy
Pease clarify that this is not actually cake flour but rather a cake flour substitute. Cake flour is not just all purpoes flour with some cornstarch mixed in. It is made from a wheat with a different protein content than what is used for all purpose flour. So while this will improve your results, using actual cake flour will still yield a better one.
sarah1888
Wow! I just knew it’s super easy like that!
Thank you very much.*
nana
Can I use corn flour
joythebaker
Corn flour has a bit more texture to it and is slightly more dense, I wouldn’t recommend it as it could alter the texture of whatever you’re baking!
Rosey
I only need a tbsp of cake flour for a recipe I’m doing. Any tips on how to size this recipe down?
joythebaker
What are you making? You could probably get away with just using regular flour since it’s such a tiny amount!
Michelle Hardy
Thank you for sharing, I have alot of cakes I have wanted to make, but not wanting to go buy the flour.Definitely will be sharing.
Maureen Jones
Wow! How easy can this be? I never seem to have cake flour on hand & will be making mine from now on. Thanks so much for the info. I will definately be checking out this site more frequently
Grace Gambuti
If my cake calls for 3 cup of cake flour I would take out 5 TBS of flour and add back 6 TBS of cornstarch and THAN START THE SIFTING PROCESS Will this be correct??????
Nikolai Wulf
wasnt very helpful…
Chef Chan
Wow, thanks I can save a little money making my own. I do use a lot of cake flour and it is almost 3.oo for 32 oz. SMH
Jamie Daniel
Thank you so much for sharing. I have been looking for cake flour . Now I can make Hong Kong style sponge cake :)
Tracy
Whenever you say all-purpose, do you mean self rising flour
Shirlyn
Hi, I am living in the UK. I have a question. Is cornstarch same as corn flour? Thanks.
Lietha Amir Siregar
Thank you so so much for the really great tips! Before i knew, i always cancel making the cake consist of cake flour in the recipe. Now I can go on making the cake without fear of failing (#biggreen) thanks again!
Lietha Amir Siregar
Thank you so so much for the really great tips! Before i knew, i always cancel making the cake consist of cake flour in the recipe. Now I can go on making the cake without fear of failing (#biggreen) thanks again!
Alex
Hi!
Thank you so much for the great tip on this! I have always thought that cake flour was expensive and very hard to find (I live in Mexico) here! But not anymore. I love to make a different types of cakes! ;)
viccy
so, I have a question. …if, I need less than half a cup, I need 1 tbsp. of cornstarch instead? thanks, please reply someone!!
Toni
It is much easier if you just put the 2 T of cornstarch in the measuring cup first then add the flour then do the repeated sifting. This is the way I have always done it.
Charisse
Thank you for posting this – I am making a white cake for my cake decorating class tonight and I wanted to NOT have to go to the store for cake flour.
elaine hoaglin
thank you so much we are not near a store and it is my grandsons birthday. And of course he wanted white cake.
Breetown
Can you turn gluten free flour into cake flour this way? It already has potato starch in it.
joythebaker
I really don’t know. Gluten-free flours are their own thing all together. Some have cornstarch in them already. Sorry! Maybe Google has a better answer!
Jen
Thanks Joy, this is exactly the recipe I needed today!
Whit
Hi, this may have already been answered, but does this also work with whole wheat all purpose flour? Or just white? Thank you so much! I am so excited that I stumbled onto your site AND this post!
joythebaker
cake flour is traditionally a white flour.
Audrey
i didn’t know this could be so easy. Thanks!
Jenny
Excellent! But why not put 2 Tbsp cornstarch in the measuring cup first, then top up with flour?? Sooo much simpler!!
Brittany R
This helped me greatly! Needed Cake flour to make a yellow cake by scratch and I couldn’t find it anywhere! Luckily we always keep a thing of corn starch :)
Rosalie Hiers
Thanks for the cake flour recipe. Now I can make Cat Head Biscuits from CooksCountryTV.com.
Thanks again,
Rosy
Shannon Haas
Joy,
Love your fabulous blog! Thanks for the helpful tips and tricks- I linked this post into a post of mine today on Pretty Plain Janes! :)
R. Davis
Can white wheat flour be substituted for the white flour, or will the difference in the gluten cause a failure in baking cakes?
R. Davis
Can you substitute white wheat flour for the white all purpose flour?
joythebaker
you can! your cake flour will be a bit more dense. that’s all.
R. Davis
Would it be possible to make this cake flour by using white wheat flour as opposed to white all purpose flour?
joythebaker
Yes, I think so but it won’t be as light as cake flour.
Gloria
I tried this tonight. I must have done something wrong because my cupcakes came out like corn muffins. I like corn muffins, but I wanted cupcakes. I read the directions 3 times. For 1 and 1/4 cups of flour I omitted 2 tablespoons plus 1/2 a tablespoon and replaced them with cornstarch.
I sifted 3 or 4 times at least. Any idea what happened?
Thanks.
Julia G
Thanks a million! Forgot that I was out of cake flour and I had already started making my pound cake, so you saved me a trip to the grocery!!!
Nkechi
Thank you so much for this post.
I will like to know please what is the measure of your cup in grams.
Thank youm
Helen lee
Thank You so much . Your explanation is so clear.
Kritika
That was some awesome recipe! Thanks a lot! now I can make my Cranberry Almond Cake with so much ease n also any other cake I want without having to look for cake flour at all! lolllllllll………….:)
Alli
For those wondering why the directions say to measure the cup of flour and then remove the 2 tablespoons of corn starch VS. putting the 2 tablespoons of cornstarch in your cup and THEN adding the flour.. I would guess the reason for that is when you SCOOP flour out of your flour bin, and level it off with a knife, or whatever, you get a different amount of flour than you might by adding the flour after the fact. Such as a difference between a PACKED measuring cup vs. a scooped one, etc. Just a thought.. I have never tried it and weighed the results or anything.. ;)
lhine
thanks joy! i find it hard to look for cake flour here in dubai, thank God as i was searching the net i saw ur post! i just made my very first chiffon cake! indeed, it was a success! love it ;-)
natasha
hi this is very helpful i sssssssssssssssssssssooooooooooooooooooooooooo loved it but theres a BUT sorry coulde you of add some type of taste like valina or strwberry that would of beean so scrumchus :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :):0 33333333333333 xxxxxxxxxx 33333333333 oh and (3333333333333 this means kiss its the shape of lips)
Chez
Thank you Joy, you just saved my tiramisu cake xx
KatheM
Thanks for the recipe. Good work. I think 5X may aerate it a bit much, though.
Shalum
this is awesome! thanks for sharing!
rashmi
ive never understood why every recipe talks of filling the flour first ,then remove 2 T n Then add cornflour,Wudnt it be easier if u first put 2 T cornflour into the measurin cup n then proceeded to fill it with APF???
Pat
thanks for sharing this cake flour recipe!!!! I always wanted to know how to make flour into cake flour. thanks again.
Rosie
finally clear and concise directions on cake flour. your my new go to person or blog
bakeries Knoxville TN
Very informative. Making cake flour is very easy. All you have to do is just follow the given instructions. Thank you for sharing!
melissa
Thank you soooooo much!!!!!
A.Segal
I have been doing this for years! My mother taught me this method I thought it was common knowledge among bakers.
thank you for sharing!
Jade
I am so happy I found this site and that you’ve been clever enough to show people how to make cake flour out of things in the cupboard. I could never find cake flour anywhere so I just thought it was an American thing as my recipe books are American, so now I shall use this to make a cake tonight :)
Seth
Thanks! This recipe worked quite well!
Shannon Fraser
Awesome – I had tackled this in the past, but needed a refresher. Thanks for the step by step overview ;)
Carolyn Cooke
I WANTED TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE RECIPE.. YES ! THERE ARE SOME RECIPES THAT CALL FOR CAKE FLOUR… EXACTLY WHAT DOES IT DO BESIDES STIFFEN OR THICKEN UP ? I NEED A GOOD LIGHT AND MOIST CAKE RECIPE FOR PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE… WHEN I USED CAKE FLOUR, IT WAS VERY HEAVY
WHICH NO ONE THOUGHT IT WAS AS GOOD AS THE BOX CAKES… WHICH I DON’T LIKE TO USE BECAUSE OF ALL OF THE ADDITIVES AND PRESERVATIVES THEY ADD..
THANK YOU !
CAROLYN COOKE
Jade
I just use a dead simple recipe of;
125 g self raising flour
125 g caster sugar
125 g butter
2 eggs
Beat butter and sugar until fluffy, add one egg and tbsp of sieved flour. Mix together and add the other egg and rest of flour. Cook for 20 mins on GM 5 :)
Sherry Kologinczak
I love to cook and try new recipes. But I heard about pastry flour and cake flour and the cake flour I found, but I have been all over trying to find the pastry flour. Now for a quick test this weekend. Thanks alot for this great tip.
Lornette
Thank you so much!!! much cheaper than actual cake flour
Carmen Russell
This is a wonderful idea ,I will try it the next time i need cake flour
Jacquie
So, I found this by accident on my way through hunting down some new cake recipes…and in the UK, we have plain flour, which I think is your all-purpose flour, and we have Self raising flour – which just has baking powder added….so what is cake flour used for? We have corn starch…we call it cornflour, but we use it for to thicken sauces and make custard… What recipes am I missing out on that need something completely new to me?
Alex
Different wheat flours contain different amount of proteins. AP (or plain) flour is a good middle ground. Bread flour has more protein, and is perfect for strong, chewy pizza dough (great for tossing too!) and chewy, crusty breads. Cake flour is the opposite, with its low protein it creates a very light texture. It’s also milled finer so it mixes more quickly into batters.
Corn starch basically serves to replace some of the starch in AP flour with a low-protein substitute. Didn’t know this trick though…it’ll be interesting to try sometime!
jessica
you are an expert. Keep it up
Let Them Eat Cupcakes!
VERY helpful tnx!!
N Diane
You are a lifesaver! great instruction! thank you so much.
dawn
I am so happy that I stumbled across this post. I live in a small town and our small grocery store does not carry cake flour. the recipe I’m testing today calls for cake flour and I’m feeling too lazy to drive to larger grocery store. Thanks!!
Mars
This will be my 1st time making the cake flour recipe. I have read in some recipes they add baking powder into the cake flour recipe, too. I’m curious to know what are the benefits of adding baking powder?
Daksina
@ Suiki, all purpose flour is just plain flour. All supermarkets stock it.
Ching
Thank you. this is so helpful, i couldn’t find any cake flour in the stores at all. ><
Suiki
I am living in UK, it is difficult to buy all purpose flour and I don’t think you buy cake flour at all. I can’t find these flours in any supermarkets. Without all purpose flour, I can’t make cake flour? Can I use self-raising flour instead of all purpose flour then use the exact same method with corn flour? Thank you
SG
Thank you! We don’t have cake flour in UK and now I can make all your wonderful recipes. I used it to make your chocolate orange bundt cake and it was fantastic!
MIchelle
Thank you very much, that helped out a bunch.
Confused In Va
I am trying to bake a cake for my niece’s birthday but all the recipes call for cake flour. One recipe has 5 cups cake flour. If I do what they show me about making my own cake flour Do I use 5 cups of the all-purpose flour and cornstarch together? Someone please help me.
Thanks,
Confused in Va
Kim
Thank you. Trying new cake recipe that call for cake flour, which I did not have. Saved me another trip to the store.
Marlene
Thank you sooo much for posting this!!!! I have been searching all over my town at every convenience, grocery & department super store for cake flour and can not find any!!!
Rosie
Soo helpful! Thanks a ton :)
KitchenChaosGirls
This was so so helpful. We’ve bookmarked it and refer back to it all the time. Thank you for writing this up and for your lovely pictures!
kaceyt @ om&nom
i need my own little joy the baker in my kitchen whenever i’m cooking! thanks for the instructions!
Marisa
This is a great substitute for cake flour, but it isn’t cake flour. Cake flour has a lower protein content than all purpose flour and it is made from soft winter wheat. I have used this method when I found it difficult to find real cake flour, and it does work quite well. I’ve also only used 1tbssp corn starch per cup of flour and it works well too.
KC Kupkake
Great! Thanks! Using it to make Buttercream Nutella Cupcakes from a recipe a friend on F/B posted!
Bonnie N.
Wow!!! I’ve often been faced with this problem. I only keep ap flour and didn’t know how to ‘make’ cake flour. Thanks so much!!!
Alice
I am wondering if these directions call for too much cornstarch per cup of flour. I made a cake from The Cake Bible (“All Occasion Downy Yellow Butter Cake”) for my son’s birthday using the above cake-flour substitution and it turned out poorly. The cake didn’t rise well and has a texture that is somewhat like sawdust. It also parches your mouth. Those are phenomena I associate with cornstarch.
Kayleigh
Thank you SOO much!!! I’ve had some recipes sitting around neglected because I don’t have cake flour around, but now I can try it without having to buy special flour, AND find a use for that ridiculously large Costco sized tub of cornstarch!! My hero!
Teri
Joy, My recipe calls for “Cake Flour”. I have all purpose flour…. and NO cornstarch. Any other suggestions? I have tapioca flour….. I don’t suppose that could be used in place of Cornstarch?
Thanks;
T.
Sara
Joy, your website is fabulous. Your site has never let me down, and I bake to reduce stress. So you can imagine my monthly baking supplies bill! Thank you!
Billie
Love this, and use it every time one of my recipe’s calls for cake flour. Thank you so much!
Fibi
Thankyou …wow……… it’s so simple…thankyou for your fab tip …and all this time I been searching for the ”cake flour”…!
Im new to baking and I have read so many recipies with cake flour…but know I can make my own… :)
er
what a great idea. I spent almost an hour in three different grocery stores looking for cake flour…without any luck. So I called my husband who got on the internet and found your tip about making my own. I’ll be sure to save this for the future. Thanks!
emily
just used this lovely little tutorial today.
thank you for making my birthday cake turn out quite amazingly. :)
Margareta
Thank you! This is super! I have a hard time finding cake flour in fancy or not so fancy food stores in my neighborhood. It makes me sad when I have to think twice before trying new recipes from my favorite Dorie Greenspan’s Baking book. Thanks again.
Makenzie
Thanks SOOO much! I was just in the middle of a baking when I glanced over the recipe and read that I needed CAKE FLOUR. All I had was all purpose flour, and I thought I would have to throw out the batter….But then I looked up your website and WALLA~ now I can complete my yummi red velvet cup cakes!! THANK YOU
Jean
Thanks so much!! I have been buying cake flour for years; so very expensive. Then I had a ah ah moment; why not get the recipe to make cake flour. Thanks so much Joy!!
Lillie Johnson
Thanks, when I make a cake from scratch just using the sifted flour the texture was never that of the Swans Down cake flour. My cakes were o.k. but never consistency I wanted. The cornstarch is the missing link. I can’t wait to try it. Tips: Did you know there are 15 cups of flour to every five pound bag of flour?
Angela
bLENDER: Would you trust using a blender instead of a sifter? I’ve heard of some folks doing that.
Angela
I have the same question as Lizzy regarding re-measuring. I’ve been told to measure SIFTED flour for a cake to keep it from being too heavy.
FROM LIZZY: Hi Joy. I live in the Netherlands … Just to be sure, I should measure out 2-1/4 cups of all purpose flour,….. Then I sift it 5 times. Now, do I use ALL of this “cake flour” that I’ve just made in my recipe, or do I measure out 2-1/4 cups from it again?
We appreciate your advice.
Dylan's Momma
Thank you so much for this recipe!
I actually found it in a few other places but wanted to double check a few other sites just to make sure it was right; and let me just say that I love LOVE love the look and welcoming of your website. It’s very cozy and casual and I love the visual tutorial. Thumbs up for your fantastic work.
Thanks Again! Happy Holidays!!
Carolyn
put two tablespoons of cornstarch in a one cup measuring cup, then fill the rest of the way up with flour, and yes use all the mixture
Connie
Sooooooooooo easy!….I didn’d beleived that was so easy to do cake flour…I have never look for it here in Mazatlan, but I have a lot of receipes that use it….
I’ll try it.. thanks a lot!!
XOX
Celia
Joy, thank you -cake flour has always been a problem for me.
Summer
Joy oh Joy, am here with questions galore!!
Am thrilled to find this post jus the day i was thinking to make my own cake flour!!
Ur the best!!
Now resourcing , can u pleasssseee,pinky promissee please, help me with where online i’ll find the above used cornstarch, ie Kingsfords Cornstarch, aint in the US but i can manage with any source online that might have it!!
Other thing is LOVE ur red measuring cup, is it ceramic?wat brand?
And will i find it online?
love the measuring spoon too and would be so grateful for that info too!!
Thannnksss a ton lods and looking foward to hear from ya!
Happy sunshine day!
Amanda@EasyPeasyOrganic
Hi Joy- could you do this with wholemeal flour in the same proportions?
Ram
Hi! What if you need sifted flour before measuring, do you sift the flour first the minus the 2 TBSP. and then add the 2 TBSP. of cornstarch??? How should I do it???
Karen
Thanks so much for this great tip. I found a cinnamon roll recipe recently that called for Cake Flour and I went out and bought a bag. At least I know now how to make my own.
Katy
Thank you!!!
Tara
Get out! THIS is good stuff. Sorry Swan’s:(
Robbie
Thank you, thank you, thank you! My favorite coffee cake recipe that I make all the time calls for cake flour. Now I no longer need to consider buying stock in Softasilk or Swans Down!
sharon
Oh girl,
I needed this, like, a year or so ago. I finally found some at the store. I’ll be bookmarking this little tidbit for when I run out.
Thanks!
PatW
ahHA! I can now have UNBLEACHED cake flour!
Andrea Marambio
Dear Joy, thanks for the tips! I was wondering if you know how to make pastry flour, both whole-wheat and regular? I live in Norway and we don´t have fancy stuff like cake and pastry flour here….
thanks again!
Whitney
Do you have any weighted measurements for this recipe? How many grams of flour would you use and how much cornstarch?
Kristy
Wow!!! This just made my day, as I was pouting around about having to buy cake flour from the local grocery store instead of my usual store where it is about $4 more for a smaller bag!! THanks so much!!
sherrie
this is really great,I love learning how to make things myself.
melissa
I baked a cake with cake flour I loved it then I baked a cake with just flour it wasn’t as good it was like it was dry.I didn’t know you could make cake flour.I just bought some today & you don’t get much.I went to cooking school lol.
Thank you I love your blog.
Lizzy
Hi Joy. I live in the Netherlands too and can’t find cake flour. This is probably a stupid question, but I want to be sure I’m doing this right. I have a recipe that calls for 2-1/4 cups of cake flour. Just to be sure, I should measure out 2-1/4 cups of all purpose flour, take away 4-1/2 T. flour and replace it with 4-1/2 T. corn starch. Then I sift it 5 times. Now, do I use ALL of this “cake flour” that I’ve just made in my recipe, or do I measure out 2-1/4 cups from it again? Thanks for your advice!
rosa
this confused me joy, where the girl was asking about measuring out the amount, then remeasuring the flour after the cake flour was made, can you specify for me? I DIDN’T see your comment back! thank you. I hope this helps, I’ve never baked a cake before, because the cake flour detoured me from trying, but tonight we are broke, and have alot of sweet toothes to satisfy!LOL>
Amy
Sharon,
Check the label. I believe Softasilk is just cake flour; it doesn’t have leavenings added, so this recipe should work fine for you. SELF-RISING flour, on the other hand, does have baking soda or baking powder (or both) added.
You can make your own self-rising flour, too. For each cup of all-purpose flour, add 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Mix or sift to combine well. Sometimes I also blend in a 1/2 tsp. of Cream of Tartar for a lighter texture (especially for cupcakes).
If you use self-rising flour as a substitute for all-purpose flour, remember to omit the extra salt and baking powder called for in the recipe, because it’s already in the flour.
HTH!
Izzy
Amy! Thanks so much! This is awesome!
Marissa
Thanks for the tip. I’m new to baking and the sound of CAKE FLOUR sounds not only expensive but also intimidating. Great I found your site. I’m learning so much from you.
Sharon
I have been using Softasilk for many years but it getting so expensive. I sell my cakes so I need this to perform the same. I see there is no baking powder or baking soda so will it rise the same in a heavy cake?
Fran
This was a fantastic find! My sister and I have been craving cinnamon rolls but the recipe we want to use calls for cake flour and, of course, we have none. We shall crave no more! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!
Dennis
I often make cinnamon rolls for my family, but never saw a recipe calling for cake flour in cinnamon rolls. Would you be willing to share your recipe?
Thanks,
Dennis
Colleen
Did you ever receive the cinnamon roll recipe?
Colleen
Yes me to would love to have this cinnamon roll recipe please share…..
Thank you Colleen
Emily
Thank you so much for this! I live in Buenos Aires and every time I try to find baking ingredients like say cake flour, I cant. This is so helpful! Now its time to make David Leite’s famous chocolate chip cookies….
Doris Jones
I was glad to find this. I promised my grandson I would help him to make a cake for school. It needs cake flour whick I do not keep in the house. So now we can make his cake and I do not have to go to the store. My grandson thinks I the smartest grandma to no this but I did have to tell him I found it on the internet. Thank you
PassionateMae
Brilliant, just the other day I ran out of cake flour, and I was like, darn, I need to use cake flour to make this recipe…I actually called up the supermarket whether they are still open at 9.58pm! yes so late at night. In the end, I had to make do with what I’ve got left and cut down the other ingredients too. Still turned our fine :)
Maimi
hi
i come from South Africa where cake flour is easily available and baking was truly a pleasure. i now live in the netherlands where cake flour seems to be non-existent so i was very relieved to find your substitution.
i bake a lot (have 2 growing boys!!) and i was wondering if it was possible to make a large amount of substitute cake flour and store it for future use. thank you. maimi
christiane coady
I would think this would be fine to store, and then just sift again before using.
Marya
Thank you for a very detailed explanation. I was so stressed today as My family were invited to a dinner and I was supposed to bring a dessert, so I chose Julia Child famouse chocolate almond cake wich calls for cake flour but I could not even find it in a stoore. So now at least I have something to substitute it with =) For which I am grateful.
alice from nz
Hi, i just made a cake and put it in the oven, then took a second look at the recipe and saw that it said “cake flour”…uh oh.. Id never heard of it before, hopefully my (red velvet) cake turns out ok… =)
kooohkies
Thanks so much for this great tip and the photos really helped with the step by step procedure which made everything really easy to follow. I will try to bake my white cake today using this method for the cake flour as we don’t have cake flours in New Zealand. Thank you-Thank you for the time and effort you put into this. It helps a lot. Happy New Year!
winifredrose
good 4 u,u should tell them off.u don’t owe them anything
Elisabeth, Greece
I love your pictures and I always refer to this post now and then when I need a cake flour substitution. And it !does! make great cakes. Keep on doing what you are doing, there are people out there who really enjoy it!
DivaDivine
If I’m extra lazy, can I throw it in the mixer and just sift it once or twice?
Paul Z
this is absolutley rediculous. all purpose flour is made of 25% cake flour and 75% bread flour. therefore you cannont make cake flour simply by adding cornstarch.
joythebaker
if you’re going to insult me Paul, at least spell ridiculous correctly. please and thank you.
Jojo
Have you heard of the new inventions called VIDEO? Why take so many unnecessary individual pictures to help all us dummies when you can show us every single part of the process? You can show us how to hold the measuring spoon and how to open the package of flour without spilling it.
Why do you think you have to include useless pictures? Just because you have a digital camera and you can? We are NOT STUPID!
Kay
Whoa, Jojo, buddy- chill! Nobody thinks you’re stupid- I enjoyed the pictures myself. Perhaps she doesn’t have a video camera? Bake some cupcakes and relax.
joythebaker
whoa Jojo… is this really about the cake flour pictures or are you mad about something else.
i wasn’t trying to offend…. i was just trying to have this humble food blog. not a big deal. just cakes and cookies. nothing to yell about.
Sareh
Is it possible to combine the flour and cornstarch and just run it in the food processor for a while? I loathe sifting :)
Princess
Hey thanks,
I am one of those who loves to bake but always skip over recipes that required cake flour….Your tip is awesome and I will let you know how my pineapple cake turns out.
Thanks for the help and great tip.
Tara
Wow! I never knew that. Such a great bit of information to keep on hand!
Now I shall never have to run to the store again to buy cake flour if I happen to be out and only need a few cups!
p.s. I love your blog!!!
Shell
Thank you so much for the information. I dont know where you live but here in GA cake flour I thought had gold in it. Thats a pretty easy and not a costly receipe, thank you again!!!
Diana
Thanks so much! Who knew it was that easy?!
Bitsy
So helpful, thanks! We are in Kenya, where cake flour is not available.
Nickki
Thank you so much for posting about this! Cake flour is not available in the UK and I have many american baking books which mostly call for cake flour. The magnolia bakery book being one of many! Now I can bake on thanks to you! :-)
Sumi
Thanks for the wonderful tip.do u know anything about the self raising flour or is it the same as cake flour?
Kimberly
Thanks for the excellent tip! Most cake flour is bleached and heavily processed, so it’s great to know that I can make cake flour at home with good quality flour!
gaga
How easy. I NEVER have cake flour on hand and with this tip, never will. But that won’t stop me from making recipes that call for it. Thanks!
Jo Hunger
What a relief to find this site with a very great tip!! Cake flour is not available here in New Zealand and I was getting very frustrated wondering what I could do with the recipes I have that use it – Thanks, Jo
Lenetta @ Nettacow
The pictures on this are awesome – and the “recipe”, too. :>) I linked to this on my weekly link roundup – post is under my name. Thansk!!
Lissi
Thanks, Joy! It never occurred to me that cake flour wasn’t somehow magic and unable to be created at home. You’ve just given me the power to use my favorite flour in all of my recipes!
Millie
Thank you Joy! I hate buying cake flour because it’s so danged expensive for such a small box. (Over $6 here in Alaska, I think). I’ve been too lazy to look up making my own. You’re a lifesaver, as usual!
Laura.
joy, are you lightly spooning the flour into the cup, as a recipe often calls for, or are you filling up the cup measure, knowing you will be taking 2T’s out?
Swee
Great tip..I like making cakes with cake flour.. Cake flour does provide a softer texture and finer crumb..
Frugalicious
Oh my gosh! I have cake flour too! It is like 5 years old because I rarely use it. Now I know I will never have to buy it again. Great post!
liya
thanks a million! i definitely need to link this to my blog:)
Jessanna
you make my life sooooo much easier!!
Constance
Thanks for reminding us all of this trick. Has anyone ever read the A Merrier World blog where Kate turns all purpose unbleached flour into the equivalent of bleached cake flour using her microwave? Riveting foodie reading ;) Here’s a link for you: http://amerrierworld.wordpress.com/kate-flour/
Kate
THANK YOU!!! I’m making black and whites this weekend and have been debating whether or not to buy cake flour for them. Now I know I can just make my own!
James
Never head of ‘cake flour’ before. Will definately use this next time to see what difference it makes.
Liz Brooks
This is a great tip when you’re in a pinch, thanks for sharing!
Anna
wow – didn’t even know it made that big a difference!
Flynn
Sweet! This is fabulous because I’m pretty sure we can’t get cake flour over here in China. What about bread flour or is that pushy?
Jen T.
Joy, you’ve caused me to have another one of those moments. You know, the moments when you realize you can actually make stuff. I had one this summer with the vanilla extract (which is currently in my closet), and now you’re telling me I can make cake flour? You rock, Joy. No joke.
Adrianna from A Cozy Kitchen
What an amazing tip! I can’t stand having four different types of flour–what a waste of space. One down…three more to go!
katie
Thanks for the awesome tip!
Cake flour is expensive and I rarely buy it, I’ll be trying this out for sure!
Ram
Hi Joy, very good tip! I seldom buy cake flour and I always have all purpose flour and cornstarch. Thanks. My question is, can I make a bulk of this mixture, keep it in an airtight container and whenever I need cake flour I just get what I need from that container?
Verity
Thank you Joy! This is perfect timing, because I was just wondering :) BTW, your blog is my new favorite and I’m preparing to make your red velvet cupcakes tonight.
Anita
Thank you so much for this helpful tip. What is the difference between cake flour and bread flour?
thanks
Steph
Love you Joy! I make it even easier by placing the 2 tablespoons of flour directly into the measure cup and than add the flour on top of that…only because i’m lazy!!!
S
Wow…you made that sound much easier than I would have ever anticipated. I guess the aeration really takes out the usual gluten factor that would be worse during mixing if there was no aeration beforehand?
JachiCue
Oh Thank you so much!! I think I’ll go look for a recipe that asks for cake flour now. Just because I can!
:) Thanks again.
Erin
Thanks so much…
Melissa
I thought it was more complicated, thanks!
zarpandit
I see my country be sold an excellent opportunity for the constructionb:) thanks joy!
Stan Hansen - Brown Egg Marketing
Wow – Great tip. I wish all conversions were this easy.
Errin
Cake flour is one of those ingredients that I have always been confused about…therefore I never make anything with it. I forget to buy it at the store and then when I see it in a recipe I agonize about whether or not I could substitute regular flour until I turn the page and decide to just make something else. Now I can go forth and bake all those recipes! Now, if only I hadn’t run out of sugar yesterday….
Kourtney
This is genius! Thank you!
Erin R.
Thanks for this tip! I always wondered what was so special about cake flour.
Marianne
Oh that makes me HAPPY! I hate buying an expensive box of flour just to use part of it. : )
Dolce
I did not know it was made this way… Thank you so much! This is great, now I have cake flour handy at home :)
Pigpigscorner
This is great!
junemoon
Can you substitute the hand sifting with fluffing the two ingredients together in a food processor?
Dana
I prefer to buy unbleached flour as well but when i want cake/pastry flour I can never find it unbleached and wondered why! Is there a reason why they don’t bleach the cake flour? I would definately prefer to skip the bleached stuff if I can…
This will make a great (easy) substitute. Thanks!
Kristacular
GREAT!!! THANKS!
Sarah
Joy, you rock. Cake flour is more money for less flour than AP plus the kind that they have at my nearby stores comes in an excessive amount of packaging. Now I know how to save some money and “reduce”. (Plus I always run out at an inopportune moment . . .)
Astrid
I was actually wondering about this the other day. I made the mistake of asking my boyfriend about it. He just turned ad looked at me very very blankly!
Guess he had no clue either! But now I do know how to make regular all purpose flour into cake flour! Hooray!
Thank you Joy.
Natalie
I have always wondered!! This was so informative, thank you!
Puppydogs
thank you so much!
such great useful info!
R
Interesting tip. I’ve always been under the impression that cake flour is lower in protein than all purpose flour (sort of the opposite of bread flour, which has more protein). Is this impression incorrect? I can see how replacing some of the flour with corn starch would reduce the gluten content, but, on some level, this, in my understanding, isn’t “real” cake flour. So I guess my question is, as someone asked above, how does the end product compare?
Lianne
thanks for this! (: now I know how to turn all purpose flour into cake flour!
michelle
wow, your timing is going in my favour alot lately, thanks joy! i got an emerican cupcake book the other week and it has cake flour all over the place. someone else told me all i have to do is take out two tablespoons of flour and not add anything. ended up with chai cupcakes the texture of stale donuts. lucky i kind of like stale donuts. but now i can cook fluffy things just like you guys in the us. very exciting, thanks again joy!
Libby@CookingWithLibby
Such a great tip! I had no clue it was that easy! Now I won’t have to buy boxes of cake flour anymore :)
Irina @ PastryPal
Thanks for this great tip. I’ll go mix myself a canister right now.
ucimom
Awesome tip. Thanks. Will try as soon as oven is repaired! It’s been on disability since June! I wanna bake!!!
Amy
Love this. What a great and useful tip.
Laura
There’s an easier way than measuring a cup of flour, removing a tablespoon and adding a tablespoon of starch. Take the empty measuring cup, put in your two tablespoons of starch, then fill to the top with flour and level. Ta da!
I think most people can manage to scoop up a cup of flour without inadvertently dumping the corn starch into the flour bin. If not, then spoon the flour into the cup.
Jen @ MaplenCornbread
I had no idea it was that simple! Thank you SOOOO much Joy!
Robyn
OK. I’m never buying cake flour again. I have too many flour containers in my pantry, but there never seems to be the ones I need.
Vivian
I’ve read that self-rising flour can be made using 1 cup of all-purpose flour + 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder + 1/2 teaspoon salt. You can also make your own baking powder by mixing baking soda with cream of tartar but I’m not sure of the proportions.
Jessica @ How Sweet It Is
I have always wondered this! I never have it on hand either. Thanks so much for sharing.
Ann
This little tip is INVALUABLE!
Sugar Duchess
Joy, you are such a superhero! As much as I love your amazing recipes and photos and prose, I really appreciate that you occasionally share little tidbits of wisdom with us. Making your own cake flour! Who knew?
linda
great tutorial! keep them coming…& thanks!
Melissa
Self raising flour has baking soda (or powder, I forget which) added to it. Cake flour doesn’t, but cake flour will make a lighter, more tender cake.
Joy, have you done a comparison with self-made cake flour and the stuff you buy? Frankly, I’m lazy enough to want to just use cake flour, but it would be nice to use that hint in a pinch. :)
I bought a bag of the vital wheat gluten – Bob’s Red Mills. I believe it calls for 1 tbsp per cup of flour. I used some the last time I made pizza dough, but I want to use it for whole wheat rolls. I prefer whole grain bread, but I find when I make it rather than buy it, it’s denser and rather tasteless. Maybe the wheat gluten will be my magic ingredient.
I love your blog. It’s fun, informative, and so pretty and soothing.
Ozgirl
For those not in the US cake flour is our normal all purpose or plain flour. It is any other flour that is hard to buy here.
We have only just started branching out to the high gluten bread or bakers flour.
If your are not sure check the ingredients listing if it has so sort of corn starch in it then it is already cake flour.
Karen B
This is great! I use cake flour along with all-purpose for my pizza dough every Friday night. Thanks for the tip!
Katie
Amazing! You cant buy cake flour in the UK so I’ll deffo be giving this a go.
Katie xox
Xiaolu @ 6 Bittersweets
Great tip, Joy! I’ve done this before but it’s always good to be reminded. Did you know King Arthur recently came out with a new unbleached cake flour (http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/unbleached-cake-flour-blend)? But looking at the ingredients, I suspect they pretty much did what you suggest right here ;).
Lynda
Thanks so much Joy!! What a great tip – you are the best!
Kristin
I only wish you’d posted this great tip on Thursday, when I made a birthday cake that called for cake flour and I just substituted all plain flour. The cake was OK … but only just OK. I bet this would have made it better. Still, slather a layer cake with chocolate frosting, and who is going to complain?
Bec Clarke
Thank you so much, I live a long way from anywhere and the shops at my nearest anywhere never have cake flour, this is so great.
Arlene Baker
Thank you so much I have baked all my life and I am 71 years old and never knew this so thanks so much
elizabeth
Wow, Arlene! I admire you that you keep learning and forget age. My very smart Mom (me! hello) thinks she can’t even do a smart phone and here you are commenting and baking without a glitch! I hope your cake turned out fine and off I go to figure out cake flour at 12am.
Dina
I made the cake flour as directed but there is a lot more than the four cups I started with for my recipe. do I use all of it or just measure our 4 cups as called for in my recipe? HELP!
Firabelle
You can use as much as you need- you could even do a half cup of flour, and one tablespoon of flour substituted with corn starch.
Jamilla
Dina: measure the amount the recipe calls for after youve siftrd it or you will have an more dense cake than you would have if you had just used ap flour
Margaret Fitch
Just like you Bec Clarke, we live out in the country and our grocery store in town does not carry cake flour. Now I can get to making some cakes. Thanks.
Dolores
Thank you Joy?? The first time I used this cake flour from all-purpose my cake came out so fluffy. Thank you again. Now I will make this cake flour always.
Casey
Thanks Joy! Never thought about making my own!
Dani
hmmm, thanks! =)
I’ve never bought cake flour (ok, maybe once…because I was out of corn starch anyway, hahaha), but i’ve never sifted the stuff together. Usually I just replace the 2 tbs of flour with 2 tbs of cornstarch, and call it a day. But I will def do this sifting thing next time!
Greg
And for “self-rising” flour, I’ve added 1 tsp of baking powder per cup of flour with decent results (not sure if that’s the true proper ratio, but it’s worked for me)
Sara
Wow, I’m impressed but also slightly confused… I’m in the UK and always thought ‘cake flour’ was the US term for Self Raising flour. What difference does the cornstarch make to the finished product? What would happen if you used plain flour? Do I need to start making this stuff? x
Kristin
Self raising flour is flour that has a leavener such as baking powder already added to it. Cake flour is just a lower protein (therefore lighter) flour used instead of all purpose flour for delicate items like cakes. Things with more structure, ie bread, need the higher protein content of All purpose or bread flour. King Arthur flour has a good explanation of different flour types and their purposes. http://www.kingarthurflour.com
Ozgirl
Sara
In the UK ‘Plain Flour’ is US cake flour. Most People have this in their pantry.
There is also Bread flour and pasta flour, both totally different in the gluten/protien aspect. I tend to use ’00’ for pasta. You will find ‘OO’ flour in deli’s or ask, a good deli will know what ’00’ flour is (the ’00’ is a grade of flour, which is exactly what we are all talking about here). Bread flour is in the supermarket aisle with the bread mixes. There should be just a plain flour there without anything added to it or with the yeast packets in the box. I believe the bread grade of flour is what they are talking about here, when they lighten it using the corn flour.
Self raising flour is exactly the same in all countries its is ‘cake flour’ with the correct ratio of baking powder (not soda) added.
Just some background on me – I am and Australian who has lived in the US (18mths) and the UK (2yrs)
So in answer to your question all you need in the pantry is Plain and Self raising, which should cover most recipes. I buy my bread or pasta flour on demand. If you have a US recipe that calls for cake flour and baking powder then just used self raising. If that same recipe calls for baking powder and baking soda then you still need to add the baking soda (which is Bi Carb Soda). And example of this is Banana Bread/Cake. Bi card makes it the darker colour.
Hope this makes sense, otherwise feel free to email me at ozgirlkim @ gmail.com
Samantha
you guys Stateside are lucky to have “cake flour” to buy! It seems we haven’t thought of making a lovely marketable product like that here yet. (And when I lived in the middle east, self-raising flour wasn’t even on the shelves! A nightmare.) Thanks for your joy always, Joy!
Spruce Hill
Wow I neve knew that1 Thanks we will be making it from now on!
Cindy
Isn’t cake flour bleached whereas most all-purpose isn’t?
joythebaker
Yes. Cake flour is often bleached, but I tend to stay away from bleached flours. I’ve found that this trick with unbleached all-purpose flour works wonders and I get to skip the bleaching. Bonus for me!
JennEJenn
Awesome! Now I don’t need to buy cake flour! Woo Hoo!
Charla Gallinger
Love this and love your recipes. Thanks for posting
Vivan
This is really good to know. I do have a question however. I am allergic to corn and its by products. Have you ever tried this with an alternative starch such as rice or tapioca? The cake flour I do use has no cornstarch in it, but I don’t always have it on hand. Thanks!
joythebaker
That’s a great question Vivan! I have never tried this trick with rick or tapioca powder. If you try it, do let me know how it works out for you!
Laura
Vivian, you can replace corn starch with potato starch. They work one-for-one, so one tablespoon corn starch = one tablespoon potato starch. Be sure to get potato STARCH and not potato FLOUR. If you have trouble finding it now, wait until the Spring and look for it in the Kosher for Passover section of the store. It keeps a long time too!
jenn
I’ve never purchased cake flour but always sift my all purpose flour with potato starch. it has similar properties and acts in a similar way to corn starch. Using the same technique and amounts Joy listed with the substitution should work. Hope that helps
Louise
Thank you, thank you, 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!
Catalina Kolker
I did not know you can actually make your own, at home. Thank you so much !
Cathy
I’ve done that for the red velvet cake I made. Works great!
stephanie
Many many thanks!!! Is there a way to turn all-purpose into bread flour?
Mike Wilson
Bread flour is flour with a higher protein content, leading to more gluten,etc.
The level of protein in certain brands differ. King Arthur’s “all purpose” can frequently be substituted for bread flour.
Also, if you are able to find “vital wheat gluten” and add some (not sure of the precise proportions, but a bit less than 1 tsp/cup) to all purpose then you’ll raise the net protein content enough to get by.
Check Peter Reinhart’s “Bread Baker’s Apprentice” or Beranbaum’s “Bread Bible” for a bunch more information on this stuff.
(God how I miss having a working oven ;-)
joythebaker
Thanks Mike! I never thought I could turn all-purpose flour into bread flour because of the differing protein contents. Great tips!
Mike Wilson
Happy to help.
Yep, that’s really the only technical difference. It’s a blend of hard and soft flours but that’s only to achieve the increased protein content. The math is probably easily researched.
A quick scan turned up this link that talks about the actual numbers.
http://www.joyofbaking.com/flour.html
I didn’t realize that cake flour was just the other side of the coin and the primary effect of the cornstarch trick is just to remove protein.
Just goes to show ya, if you’re not careful you learn something new every day.
I gotta learn to be more careful.
o/
vicki
Awesome:)
Mike Wilson
very nice. One less big plastic container.