Learning how to make cake flour at home really saves the day when a recipe calls for cake flour, and you only have all-purpose on hand. No need to run to the store! This cake flour substitute is easy to make and gives baked goods a tender, delicate texture.
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I love making my cake flour substitute when a recipe calls for just a few cups, like in my beautiful Charlotte Cake Recipe, Poppyseed Cake, or my airy Greek Yogurt Cupcakes. It’s a baking trick that has saved me so much time and money since I don’t want to buy a whole bag of cake flour to make a recipe.
Cake Flour Substitute Video
Watch the video tutorial to see how easy it is to make cake flour from all-purpose and cornstarch. It’s such an easy trick to making light and fluffy baked goods and pastries.
Why You’ll Love This Easy Cake Flour Substitute
This trick requires just two ingredients and takes just 2 minutes to make! Here’s why when you learn how to make cake flour from all-purpose at home, you’ll never look back:
- Better Ingredients – You know exactly what’s in it. You can choose to use organic unbleached flour, which is tough to come by in the limited cake flour selection in the baking aisle.
- Save Money – It’s way less expensive to make it yourself and your results will be equally amazing.
- Convenient – No need to keep this extra ingredient in your pantry when you can make it without much fuss.
Ingredients
You only need two pantry staples to make cake flour–once you see how much extra you are paying at the store, you’ll never bother with the boxed stuff again.
- All-purpose flour – Be sure to measure the flour correctly
- Cornstarch – Make sure you are getting cornstarch and not corn flour or cornmeal. Look for cornstarch that has just one ingredient on the label: cornstarch.
Pro Tip:
Note that this recipe makes 1 cup of cake flour. If your recipe calls for 2 cups, be sure to double proportionally to 2 cups (removing 4 Tablespoons) and the cornstarch to 4 Tablespoons.
How to Make Cake Flour
Take just two minutes to prepare this substitute, and you’ll love the airy texture of the finished product.
- Measure all-purpose flour into a measuring cup by scooping it from the flour bin and scraping the top off evenly with the back of a knife. Then use a tablespoon to remove 2 Tablespoons of the flour from the cup.
- Add 2 Tbsp cornstarch to your cup of all-purpose flour. I add it directly into the measuring cup.
- Sift the two ingredients together over a sheet of parchment or into a mixing bowl several times, making sure the two ingredients are well combined. I used the fine mesh sieve (actually, I use it for everything!).
How to Store Cake Flour
Once the homemade cake flour is made, store it in your pantry in an airtight container in a cool, dry and dark place. Store away from sunlight and moisture. Check the expiration on your flour and cornstarch, and that is typically the expiration of your cake flour substitute, about 6 to 8 months. The flour is ready to use when you need it!
What is the difference between Cake Flour and All-Purpose Flour?
Cake flour has a lower protein and gluten content and a finer consistency than all-purpose flour, which gives desserts a softer, fluffier texture. You can use this homemade substitute in any recipe that calls for cake flour, like our Storybook Cake Roll and Honey Cupcakes.
Cake flour substitute can come in handy when you need to make a recipe but don’t have it on hand. I love that you can make it from better ingredients for cheaper and in the quantity you need. Try this kitchen hack today!
More Kitchen Tricks and Tips
If you appreciate a good kitchen trick, like how to make homemade cake flour substitute, check out some of my other How-to cooking tips below.
- How to Make Sourdough Starter at Home
- How to Cut an Onion
- Homemade Turkey Stock
- Homemade Pumpkin Puree
- Crispy Taco Salad Shells
- Homemade Taco Seasoning
- How to Cook Rice
- Homemade Ranch Dressing
How to Make Cake Flour
Instructions
- Measure flour by scooping it into a measuring cup and scraping the top off with the back of a knife to level it. Remove 2 Tbsp flour and return to your flour bin.
- Add 2 Tbsp cornstarch to your flour.
- Use a fine mesh sieve or flour sifter to sift the two together about 4-5 times to make sure they are really well combined.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
Can you do this with gluten free flours?
Hello Joan! I have not tested this with GF Flour. If you try that as an experiment, we’d love to know how it goes!
I made a cake substituting all purpose flour for the cake flour and only did it for one cup but the recipe callled for 21/2 CUPS
cake flour so my cake came out very dense and only one inch thick. So I realize I only added 2 tbsps corn starch and for 21/2 cups I should have added 5 total so it ruined my cake……
Sorry to hear that, Marjorie. Be careful with measuring the ingredients next time as it is important to measure the ingredients correctly.
Hi can u share eggless recipe of sponge cake
I don’t have that recipe at this time but I will add it to my list. Have you tried our eggless chocolate cake recipe?
Hi Natasha. Love your recipes. When you make the cake flour for this recipe do you still use 1 cup of flour and take out 2 tablespoons or 1 and 1/4 cups of Cdn. AP flour remove 2 tablespoons of flour and add 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. I am just a little confused. Thanks Judy
Hi Judy, I substitute 2 Tbsp of flour with corn starch. If you watch the video tutorial, it will be more clear.
I used this cake flour for my sponge cake yesterday and it really helped 🙂
It used to collapse as it cooled but now, it stays nice and tall. I think the corn starch makes all the difference.
Thank you so much for sharing that with mus, Natalya!
Hi Kathleen, Thank you so much for sharing your vanilla cake. About how long do you bake at 350˚F?
Hello! Is there any ingredient i can use instead of cream cheese? In my country it’s not very popular and many cake recipes require cream cheese.
Hi Sara, which recipe was the cream cheese question intended for?