Cake Flour
A finely milled, low-protein wheat flour (6-8%) that yields exceptionally tender, fine-crumbed cakes.
1 Cup Cake Flour = 114g (4.0 oz) • 1 Cup Sifted Cake Flour = 100g
Cake flour is a specialty flour milled from soft winter wheat, featuring a very low protein content that typically ranges from 6% to 8%. It is milled to an ultra-fine texture and is chemically bleached, usually with chlorine gas. The bleaching process is critical: it alters the flour's starches and fats, allowing it to absorb moisture and fat more efficiently than untreated flours. This chemical modification helps cake batters hold high amounts of liquid and sugar without collapsing, resulting in cakes with a very fine, velvety crumb, excellent rise, and superior moistness.
Because cake flour develops minimal gluten, it prevents baked goods from becoming tough, making it the premier choice for delicate sponge cakes, angel food cakes, cupcakes, and soft biscuits. However, cake flour should never be used in rustic breads or pizza crusts, as it lacks the protein necessary to create a structural, chewy network. If you run out of cake flour, you can create a common substitute by combining all-purpose flour with cornstarch, which dilutes the protein concentration and mimics the tenderizing effects of low-gluten flour.
Failing to sift cake flour. Due to its extremely fine grind and high starch content, cake flour clumps easily in storage. Skipping sifting results in small pockets of raw flour in the baked cake.
In the UK, the closest equivalent is Extra Fine Cake Flour. In Australia, it is sometimes sold as Soft Flour or Sponge Flour.
Use for delicate cakes, cupcakes, biscuits, pancakes, and shortbread cookies where a soft, tender, and fine-crumb structure is desired.
1 cup cake flour = 1 cup all-purpose flour minus 2 tablespoons + 2 tablespoons cornstarch (sifted together three times).
Store in a cool, dry place in an airtight container. Because it is highly refined, it absorbs kitchen odors easily keep away from strong spices.
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