When a recipe calls for a specific ingredient that you don’t have in your pantry, it can be tempting to replace it with something similar. We’re all about being creative when cooking and making your own recipe versions, but sometimes certain ingredients are there for a reason. That’s exactly the case with cake flour, which has an important role in baking, and therefore it’s not a great idea to replace it with other types of flour—at least if you want premium-quality results.
Why It’s Different
Cake flour is low in protein as it’s made from low-protein wheat. It produces less gluten than regular all-purpose flour and it’s great for light and tender dough. This flour is not great for bread, but it’s perfect for cakes, cupcakes, and other desserts.
Cake flour is finely ground and can absorb more liquid, which means you can increase the amount of sugar in a recipe too and not ruin its texture. This will result in moist, delicious cakes that look and taste like something from a premium bakery
But what if you can’t buy cake flour for any reason? There are ways to make your own substitute at home using all-purpose flour and cornstarch. One example of this recipe can be found here.
