Tillie Doyle
Cake flour is a special type of flour used for making cakes. It is made from soft wheat and has a lower protein content than regular all-purpose flour. This results in a finer, more delicate crumb and a softer texture. If you don't have cake flour on hand or live in a country where it is banned, you can easily make a substitute at home using common pantry ingredients. This paragraph will explore the alternatives to cake flour and provide a guide on how to substitute it in your cake recipes.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of ingredients needed | 2 |
| Ingredients | All-purpose flour, cornstarch or arrowroot powder |
| Process | Sift the ingredients together twice, then measure one cup from the mixture |
| Result | A softer cake with a more delicate crumb |
| Protein content | 7-9% |
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What You'll Learn
All-purpose flour and cornstarch
If you're looking for a flour substitute for a cake pan, you can use all-purpose flour and cornstarch to make a homemade cake flour substitute. Cake flour is a finely milled, delicate flour with a low protein content, usually around 7-9%, while all-purpose flour has a higher protein content, ranging from 10-12%.
The protein content is essential because it determines the gluten formation in the flour. By adding cornstarch to all-purpose flour, you can create a mixture with a lower protein content, resulting in a softer and more tender cake. Cornstarch is extra-fine and reduces gluten formation, similar to cake flour.
To make this substitute, you'll need 14 tablespoons (110g) of all-purpose flour and 2 tablespoons (16g) of cornstarch. Sift these ingredients together twice in a large bowl to ensure they are thoroughly mixed and to aerate the mixture, giving it a consistency similar to cake flour. After sifting, you should have about 1 cup of the mixture, which can be used in most recipes that call for cake flour.
It's important to note that while this substitute works well for most cakes, delicate baked goods like angel food cake and white cake are best made with real cake flour for an extraordinarily light texture. Additionally, while all-purpose flour can be substituted for cake flour in a pinch, the opposite is not recommended as it may result in a sunken cake or cookies that fall apart due to the lower protein content in cake flour.
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All-purpose flour and arrowroot powder
If you're looking to substitute all-purpose flour and want to use arrowroot powder instead, there are a few things to keep in mind. Arrowroot powder, sometimes called arrowroot starch, is a gluten-free option that can be used in place of regular flour for gluten-free baking. However, it's important to note that arrowroot powder behaves differently in baked goods compared to all-purpose flour.
When substituting arrowroot powder for all-purpose flour, it's essential to combine it with another gluten-free flour, such as rice flour or a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend, to achieve the best results. Arrowroot powder on its own may not provide enough structure for baked goods, so combining it with other gluten-free flours is crucial.
To substitute all-purpose flour with arrowroot powder, use a ratio of about two parts arrowroot powder to one part gluten-free flour. For example, if a recipe calls for 1 cup of all-purpose flour, you would use 2/3 cup arrowroot powder and 1/3 cup gluten-free flour. This combination will help mimic the properties of all-purpose flour while keeping your recipe gluten-free.
Additionally, arrowroot powder can be used as a thickening agent in recipes like sauces, gravies, or puddings. In these cases, it can be substituted at a 1:1 ratio for cornstarch, which is commonly used as a thickener. When using arrowroot powder as a thickener, mix it with a small amount of cold liquid before adding it to your recipe to help it dissolve evenly.
When substituting all-purpose flour with arrowroot powder, it's important to consider the unique properties of arrowroot and adjust your recipe accordingly. Arrowroot-based baked goods may cook faster and result in a moister texture compared to using all-purpose flour. Experimenting with small batches and adjusting ratios as needed will help you achieve the desired results.
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Cake flour vs. all-purpose flour
Cake flour and all-purpose flour differ in their protein content, which affects gluten formation and the texture of the baked product. Cake flour has a lower protein content, typically between 7-9%, while all-purpose flour has a higher protein content, ranging from 10-12%. This higher protein content in all-purpose flour makes it more versatile and suitable for a wide range of recipes, from cookies to pizza dough.
The lower protein content in cake flour results in reduced gluten formation, making it ideal for cakes as it creates a softer, more tender texture. It is often used for vanilla cakes, cupcakes, and fluffy cakes like pineapple upside-down cake and red velvet cake. Cake flour produces a fine, even crumb in cakes like ultra-vanilla cupcakes and enhances the tenderness of the baked good.
All-purpose flour, on the other hand, has a medium protein content, making it suitable for a variety of recipes. It can be used for chocolate chip cookies, pizza dough, and cakes like chocolate cake and birthday cake. However, substituting all-purpose flour for cake flour in recipes specifically calling for cake flour may result in a slightly coarser crumb and a less tender cake.
While it is generally acceptable to substitute all-purpose flour for cake flour, the opposite is not recommended. Substituting cake flour in recipes developed for all-purpose flour may result in baked goods that are too delicate or fall apart due to insufficient gluten formation.
If you don't have cake flour, you can make a homemade substitute by combining all-purpose flour with cornstarch or arrowroot powder. This substitute will mimic the lower protein content and tenderness of cake flour. However, for delicate baked goods like angel food cake and white cake, using real cake flour is ideal for achieving the desired light and fluffy texture.
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Cake flour is banned in some countries
Cake flour is a low-protein flour that is milled into a fine consistency. It typically contains 7-10% protein, while all-purpose flour has a higher protein content of 10-12%. Cake flour is commonly used in American recipes and is often bleached, which affects the flour by causing the flour molecules to repel liquid, bind fats more efficiently, and stabilize gas bubbles produced by raising agents. This results in cakes that rise more and have a fluffy, tender texture.
However, bleached flour has been banned in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand due to health concerns. Bleached flour is treated with food additives such as chlorine, bromates, and peroxides, which may pose health risks and have been linked to cancer. As a result, cake flour, which typically undergoes bleaching, is effectively banned in these regions.
In Europe and Australia, flour is naturally whitened by letting it sit in the air for a period of time, rather than using chemical additives. This practice aligns with the ban on bleached flour and the associated health concerns.
In New Zealand, cake flour is not commonly used, and plain flour is the standard for cake-making. While some online sources in New Zealand mention importing cake flour, it is generally not available in local stores. Bakers in New Zealand can achieve similar results using plain flour or a blend of all-purpose flour and cornflour, as cornflour helps reduce the protein content.
While cake flour is not explicitly banned worldwide, its absence or limited availability in certain countries, such as New Zealand, can be attributed to food standards and health regulations prohibiting the use of bleached flour.
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Cake flour is a finely milled version of all-purpose flour
Cake flour is a finely milled flour made from soft wheat. It is typically bleached to reduce its protein content to around 6–9%. Cake flour is finer than all-purpose flour, which is made from a different variety of wheat and milled to a coarser texture. The protein content of all-purpose flour is higher, ranging from 10-12%.
The difference in protein content is significant because protein content is directly related to gluten formation. When making a cake, you want to discourage gluten development to achieve a soft, fine, and tender crumb. Cake flour's lower protein content means it has less gluten-forming potential, making it ideal for cakes.
If a recipe calls for cake flour, it is best to use it for the optimal results. However, if you don't have cake flour, you can make a substitute with all-purpose flour and cornstarch. Combine 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (or 14 tablespoons) (105g) of all-purpose flour with 2 tablespoons (14g or 16g) of cornstarch. Sift this mixture together twice, or even up to five times, to aerate it and achieve a consistency similar to real cake flour.
Using this substitute will result in a cake with a slightly coarser crumb, but it will still be tasty, and less discerning tasters may not notice much of a difference. However, substituting cake flour for all-purpose flour in a recipe developed for all-purpose flour may result in issues due to the lower protein content of cake flour. Therefore, it is generally recommended to follow recipes exactly as written.
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Frequently asked questions
You can use all-purpose flour as a substitute for cake flour in a cake pan. However, the texture of the cake will not be as delicate and tender as a cake made with cake flour.
To substitute all-purpose flour for cake flour, mix it with cornstarch. For every cup of all-purpose flour, use 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. This will create a similar protein content to cake flour, resulting in a softer and more tender cake.
Yes, you can use arrowroot powder or another type of starch such as tapioca starch/flour, potato starch, or gluten-free flour as a substitute for cake flour.
