How Do You Convert Cake Flour to Flour?

Converting cake flour to all-purpose flour, or vice versa, involves adjusting the quantities and sometimes adding another ingredient to account for differences in protein content and texture. When a recipe calls for "flour" without specifying, it typically refers to all-purpose flour.

Understanding Flour Types

Before diving into conversions, it's helpful to understand the key difference:

• All-Purpose Flour: A versatile flour with a moderate protein content (around 10-12%). It's suitable for a wide range of baked goods, from bread to cookies.
• Cake Flour: A finely milled flour with a lower protein content (around 7-9%). Its delicate structure results in tender, light, and airy baked goods, making it ideal for cakes, pastries, and biscuits.

Converting Cake Flour to All-Purpose Flour (Substitution)

If your recipe calls for all-purpose flour, but you only have cake flour, you'll need to use a slightly larger quantity of cake flour to achieve a similar result. This is because cake flour is lighter and less dense than all-purpose flour.

According to baking guidelines, to effectively substitute cake flour for all-purpose flour:

• For every 1 cup of all-purpose flour required in a recipe, use 1 cup plus an extra 2 tablespoons of cake flour. This ensures you're providing enough of the lighter cake flour to compensate for the higher density of all-purpose flour.

Example:
If a recipe specifies 2 cups of all-purpose flour, you would use:
2 cups (cake flour) + 4 tablespoons (cake flour) = 2 cups + 1/4 cup of cake flour.

While this substitution helps approximate the volume and function, be aware that the final texture might still be slightly more tender than if all-purpose flour were used, due to cake flour's lower protein content.

Converting All-Purpose Flour to Cake Flour (Reverse Substitution)

Conversely, if your recipe specifically calls for cake flour but you only have all-purpose flour, you can create a suitable substitute. This conversion aims to reduce the protein content and lighten the texture of all-purpose flour to mimic cake flour.

To substitute all-purpose flour for cake flour:

• For every 1 cup of cake flour required in a recipe, measure out 1 cup of all-purpose flour. Then, remove 2 tablespoons of that all-purpose flour and replace it with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch.

The cornstarch helps to dilute the protein content of the all-purpose flour, making it more tender and delicate, similar to cake flour. It's crucial to whisk this mixture thoroughly before adding it to your recipe to ensure even distribution.

Example:
If a recipe specifies 1 cup of cake flour, you would use:
1 cup all-purpose flour (minus 2 tablespoons) + 2 tablespoons cornstarch.

Practical Conversion Summary

Here's a quick reference table for these common flour substitutions:

Always measure your flour accurately, preferably by weight using a kitchen scale, for the most consistent baking results. When converting, leveling off your measuring cups is also vital.