Why cake flour isn't always the best choice for baking

The internet is full of information about baking, especially cakes. Should you use all-purpose flour, cake flour, or cake flour? Can you make your own? It's enough to confuse any beginner baker. Luckily, we're here to help you answer a key question: When do you need to use cake flour?

Sandy Folsom, director of Wilton Sweet Studio, explains, “You don’t always need cake flour; it depends on the recipe… If you use one type of flour when another is called for, you could end up with overly crumbly treats or a cake that sinks in the middle.” She adds, “Remember, baking is a science, and you need the right chemical reaction to happen in the oven for delicious results.”

If your recipe doesn't specify what type of flour to use, you can probably use all-purpose wheat flour, as it's a very versatile staple containing between 8 and 12% protein. This wheat flour (yes, all-purpose wheat flour is ground wheat flour) is perfect for light and fluffy Chantilly cream cakes, as well as cookies, doughnuts, muffins, tarts, sponge cakes, and pastries.

Cake flour gives your baked goods a fluffy and soft texture.

You've undoubtedly seen cake flour at your favorite supermarket. Perhaps you even bought a box thinking it would be easy to substitute it for all-purpose flour. But not so fast! Sandy Folsom reminds us: "In most recipes, you shouldn't substitute cake flour for all-purpose flour, as this will alter the texture of your baked goods."

Why would using cake flour instead of all-purpose flour alter your baking? "Cake flour has a lower protein content [6-8%] than all-purpose flour," explains Folsom. "It's made from a different type of wheat and produces a softer, more pliable dough."

The extra-fine consistency of cake flour allows it to absorb a large amount of water. This absorption capacity gives baked goods a fine crumb and a fluffy texture. Furthermore, the batter will rise more, which is perfect if you're making a light and airy cake.

How about making your own cake flour?

What if you run out of cake flour? Should you use bread flour? The answer is no, unless you want a disaster. Bread flour isn't ideal for cakes because it has more protein than cake flour. Using it in your recipe will result in a tough, dense, and overly chewy cake.

Instead, try making your own cake flour. Sandy Folsom's method is quite simple. "If you're in a hurry... you can add a little cornstarch to all-purpose flour to lower the protein content and get a cake-like flour." She suggests removing "two tablespoons of all-purpose flour from each cup and adding two tablespoons of cornstarch."

If you're making a delicate dessert, like angel food cake, it's best to use store-bought cake flour. Commercial flour will give you the superior texture and tenderness you're looking for.