How To Make Cake Flour At Home With The Ingredients Already In Your Pantry

Flour is an absolute staple in baking, and as you likely already know, there are a few different types you need to get acquainted with. From whole-wheat and white whole-wheat flour to bread flour and cake flour, it can be a little difficult to keep every kind stocked in the pantry at all times. So when one of your cake recipes calls for cake flour and you have none, there's no need to panic. You can make it with just all-purpose flour and cornstarch.

For every cup of all-purpose flour you use, replace 2 tablespoons of it with cornstarch. Then sift the mixture a few times before putting your very own DIY cake flour to use. Sifting your makeshift cake flour well will ensure that the two ingredients are totally combined and it incorporates air, giving you a super light and fluffy dessert.

This stand-in works well because substituting some of the flour with cornstarch (which is gluten-free) reduces the overall amount of gluten in the mixture. This homemade substitute is similar to cake flour, which contains between 7% and 9% protein compared to more than 10% in all-purpose flour. That protein level indicates how much gluten will form. 

This might leave you wondering if you really need to use cake flour since the difference between the two products sounds minimal. While you are welcome to use cake flour and all-purpose flour interchangeably, the texture of your baked goods will definitely be affected. Because of cake flour's lower protein content, less gluten is formed when combined with a liquid. Limited gluten formation is what gives certain cakes and desserts a light and tender texture, and the gluten formation encouraged by all-purpose flour is what makes for perfect, chewy cookies or delightfully dense pound cake.

In addition to having less protein, and thus less gluten, store-bought cake flour is made with a softer wheat than all-purpose flour. It is also ground extra finely, which helps achieve a light and airy end result. Fortunately, sifting your makeshift cake flour will imitate this texture. 

Most cake flours are bleached, which reduces overall gluten formation and also allows for better gas retention, giving the baked goods a nice lift and soft texture. This is why cake flour isn't used for every cake, since some kinds require a denser crumb. So if you want your sponge cake, cupcakes, or angel food cake to have that signature fluffy texture, it's best to use cake flour — or at least make your own.