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make your own cake flour

Mar 15th, 2010 by

How many times have you skipped a recipe because it called for cake flour instead of all-purpose flour?

How many times have you looked for cake flour at the market and either couldn’t find it, or cringed at the price?

Could it be true that it’s really THIS EASY to make your own cake flour?

Mix one cup of all-purpose flour with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Sift twice. Measure your cake flour after sifting.

The Damsel has heard that cake flour has a higher starch content than regular flour, and adding corn starch will simulate that. She hasn’t tried it personally but cooks she trusts and respects swear by the stuff. She usually backs slowly away from recipes that call for fussy stuff like cake flour. No more.

Think of the new vistas of baking that have just opened before your eyes.

Posted in baking, Substitutions

  • http://justnikol.blogspot.com Nikol

    Interesting! I thought cake flour was just finely sifted regular flour. You teach me so much, Damsel.

    I want you to know that I bought a flour sifter specifically because you assured me that it would ensure better pancakes. I will report once I’ve used it. I’ve had it for several months now, sitting in the cabinet. I don’t want to rush into anything.

  • http://serenedesigns.blogspot.com Serene

    I’ve never known what the difference is so even if the recipe calls for cake flour I’ll just use all purpose. *gasp*

    But thanks for the tip! I’m going to try it next time!

  • http://valeriepondering.blogspot.com Valerie M.

    I do have a few recipes that call for cake flour, and have always used cake flour. Now I’ll have to try this and see how it goes. Thanks for sharing!

  • http://greenandchewy.blogspot.com Carole & Chewy

    I am ashamed to say I never read cooking directions that closely and never realized there are different types of flour.

    This probably explains an awful lot of my cooking adventures.

    http://greenandchewy.blogspot.com/

  • http://thechocolatechipwaffle.blogspot.com/ Terresa Wellborn

    Girl! You won my Six Word Memoir blog contest!!

    Email me your mailing address & I’ll send the See’s chocolate chips to you ASAP.

    Congrats. Your entry was riveting.

    Much love,
    Terresa

  • http://www.mamasheartblog.com sue

    Damsel,

    once again, you’ve saved me and didn’t even know it. I went to the grocery today and skipped the cake flour (too darned costly!) and thought of all the flour i have in my food storage… I figured there HAD to be a way to make my AP Ultragrain work in a brownie recipe (yes, one that doesn’t require Betty Crocker’s assistance). Just in time, you swoop in with the fix – and just before I attempt this to-die-for-chocolate-brownie recipe. :) Thank you!

  • http://adamandkristinapulsipher.blogspot.com Kristina P.

    Really?!?! I had no idea. I always thought it was so fancy. Think of how much fatter I could be right now!

  • http://screamandhug.blogspot.com Rachel Sue

    Hmmm. I think it says something about my level of baking skills that I don’t remember ever coming across a recipe that actually called for cake flour!

    And, um, that picture cracks me up!

  • http://screamandhug.blogspot.com Rachel Sue

    P.S. I looked for you on twitter but couldn’t find you.

    Mine is @screamandahug

  • http://maryellephotography.blogspot.com Mary

    I back away from recipes that call for *baking*. I broke my finger in the KitchenAid once. Oh, yes I did. Baking and I are not friends.

  • http://beinglds.blogspot.com Jocelyn

    Recipes like that and I don’t even live in the same universe…but should we ever cross paths in the future…I’ll be ready! Thank you!

  • http://contentedlyneurotic.blogspot.com Diane J.

    I know, completely off subject, but I love the photo! That is just too darn cute. You always have wonderful photos.

    [WORDPRESS HASHCASH] The poster sent us ’0 which is not a hashcash value.

  • http://latermom.blogspot.com Charlotte

    And for those of us who have never even seen a recipe for cake flour (we are the hopeless sort)? I guess I’ll tuck this away in case I someday see it.

    [WORDPRESS HASHCASH] The poster sent us ’0 which is not a hashcash value.

  • http://www.commoncentshome.blogspot.com Tina

    Like some of the others, I have always taken the easy road and used all purpose flour. I’m such a cheater! But my recipes have always turned out fine. I’ll have to give the cornstarch a try and see what my cooking is supposed to taste like! :)

    [WORDPRESS HASHCASH] The poster sent us ’1827215106 which is not a hashcash value.

  • http://www.americajane.net America Jane

    I found you on MMB. Your topic intrigued me. The photo in this post hooked me. Consider me a new follower. Huzzah!

  • http://www.kckanenwishers.blogspot.com Cheryl

    Thanks so much for the tip! I’m so terrible at knowing these kinds of things and now I’ll actually try those recipes with cake flour instead of freaking out about going to the store.

  • Erica

    Okay, question about this. I know that cake flour is a low protein flour. Wouldn’t it make a difference using a high protein flour with the cornstarch in it?

    • damsel

      Since corn starch has very low protein, perhaps that lowers the net protein percentage enough that it behaves like cake flour. Just a guess.