How Long Does Cake Flour Last
Cake flour can last up to a year in the pantry, two years in the fridge, or three years in the freezer. No wonder its not uncommon for people to have bags of flour hanging around their kitchen.
The key is where and how the cake flour is stored. You see, although cake flour has a remarkable shelf life and can last for many years, it doesnt mean it necessarily will.
What Is The Difference Between Cake Flour And All
Cake flour has a lower protein content than all-purpose flour and is also made from a softer wheat than all-purpose. When you use cake flour, you develop less gluten in your baked good, when you use all-purpose, you develop more. As such, cake flour is best in cakes, and other baked goods, that require or benefit from a soft, tender, even crumbly, texture. All-purpose flour on the other hand, will contribute a bit more structure to the recipes it is used in, and is fantastic in a wide variety of baked goods like practically all of them. And the beauty of all-purpose flour is that most of us not only already have it in the pantry, but also we can use it to make low-protein cake flour! Amazing, we know. See below.
How To Make Self
Whether you unknowingly ran out of self-rising flour or never had a bag on hand to begin with, heres how to make a DIY version. For every one cup of self-rising flour in your recipe, measure 1 level cup all-purpose flour. Add 1½ teaspoons baking powder and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt and whisk to combine.
raising
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Cake Flour Substitutes & Other Flours You May See
If you are hoping to substitute for cake flour and you have something else on your shelf, you may be able to make it work, but there are some flours that are not ideal for this purpose. We will talk about a few of them here!
Theres really only one important thing to remember when baking a cake: let us try some at the end! Okay, that was a joke, but there are a lot of little intricacies to making delicious, tall, fluffy cakes, and cake flour is only one of them! We recommend doing your best to use the real thing whenever possible, but that does not mean your cake will not be delicious if you end up needing to substitute! We will even taste test for you, if you need it!
Our Best Substitute For Cake Flour
Cake flour is a must-have staple in any eager bakers pantry. However, when you always expect it to be there, you can be shocked to find that youve run out, or you dont have enough to make your next baked good.
Take a Look
Finding cake at your local grocery store in America is relatively easy. However, in places such as Australia and Europe, it can be a bit trickier to locate. Since cake flour is typically bleached, it’s a bit chlorinated and slightly acidic. This process is banned in Europe and Australia.
Also, most cake flour doesn’t have a rising agent, meaning you’ll need to mix it with a leavening agent such as baking soda and baking powder. However, you can also find a few brands that advertise “self-rising” cake flour, so make sure to read the label before accidentally adding additional leavening agents.
When youre ready to bake, with all of your materials and ingredients laid out in front of you, the last thing you want to do is pack them away again. Similarly, you dont want to have to take a trip to the store just to get cake flour.
So, is there any way that you can substitute something else for cake flour while still getting the desired effect.
We know that youre regretfully looking at the all-purpose flour thinking about whether its worth it – just this once.
Today well be looking for the best substitutes for cake flour so that you dont have to go without your baked goods.
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Recipes With Cake Flour
If youre a novice baker, you probably dont have cake flour in your pantry. That being said, if youre looking to advance in your baking journey, purchasing cake flour is a game-changer.
Having cake flour enables you to create recipes such as angel food cake, black forest cake, and more. Cake flour can also be used in bakes such as cookies, buns, cupcakes, and cheesecakes.
If youre looking to impress your family and friends, using cake flour in birthday or anniversary cakes elevates the taste and texture. Instead of the boring vanilla cake for your cousins birthday, you can bring a soft, pillowy cake full of vanilla flavor. Your cousin will be thankful, and so will everyone else in attendance.
As mentioned previously, if your recipe calls for cake flour, theres no getting around it. For instance, if youre making sweet buns, do not use bread or all-purpose flour.
Where To Buy Cake Flour
Of course, we believe we carry the best cake flour around, and if you live in America, you can most likely find ours and other brands in your local grocery store. If youre in Europe or Australia, it might be a little trickier. Cake flour is often bleached, which leaves it a little chlorinated as well as slightly acidic. This is banned in Australia and Europe, so youll want to look for a soft wheat flour. You can also use our cornstarch hack above, or you may be able to find unbleached cake flour in a specialty store. At Bobs Red Mill, our cake flour is unbleached because we love to keep things natural!
Most cake flour does not contain a rising agent, so you will still need to combine it with a leavening ingredient like baking powder or baking soda, but you may see a brand or two that does advertise self rising cake flour, which is also okay. If you do use self rising brands, just make sure that you do not also incorporate any additional rising agents into your recipe, as this may create some issues. Most cake recipes only call for a single rising agent.
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How To Make A Homemade Cake Flour Substitute
Step 1: Sift 14 Tablespoons all-purpose flour and 2 Tablespoons cornstarch together two times.
Step 2: Measure 1 cup from this mixture. Youll have about 1 cup anyway, but sometimes sifting can produce more volume since its adding air.
Step 3: Now you have 1 cup of cake flour that you can use in most recipes requiring cake flour. If the recipe requires more than 1 cup cake flour, you can do this process in bulk, but I find its better to make each cup of cake flour separately.
Note that delicate baked goods meant to have an extraordinary light texture like angel food cake and white cake should ideally use real cake flour. If youre in a pinch and dont have cake flour for other recipes, use this substitute!
Everything You Need To Know About Cake Flour
Today, Im talking all things cake flour! What is it? Why do we use it? Where can you get it? Is there a substitute?
Its one of the most frequently asked questions that comes my way. What is cake flour? Youll see it in a lot of my recipes, so lets make sure you know exactly what it is and why its so crucial in certain cakes.
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The Definition Of Cake Flour
Lets talk about what cake flour actually is, because it can be confusing when there are different types of flour and you have no idea which is which.
Many recipes will call for all-purpose flour.
But if you have cake flour on-hand, you should know that it is a low protein flour.
Flours are differentiated by the amount of protein in them, with all-purpose flour usually having about 10-12% protein.
Cake flour has about 7-9% protein.
But what does this actually mean.
Essentially, it means that there is less gluten that is formed as you mix the cookie dough, and the final cookie result is going to be a more delicate and fluffy consistency
Can You Substitute Almond Flour For All Purpose Flour In Baking
A lot of people believe that substitution of almond flour for all purpose flour in baking is a good thing because it results in a more even baked product. This is because almond flour has a higher binding quality than allpurpose flour, which means the bread will not stick to the pan and will be more delicate. Additionally, almond flour contains various vitamins and minerals that are missing from all other flours.
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So What Is Cake Flour Actually
Cake flour is typically made one of two ways: Its either milled from a type of wheat thats high in starch and has less protein than more common varieties, or its made from all-purpose flour that has some type of starch mixed in. The protein in any flour is what becomes glutenous when liquids are introduced. This is both a good and a bad thing because gluten content is what gives structure to your baked goods. However, introducing too much gluten can make your cake recipes come out tough and chewy.
In certain delicate recipes like chiffon or angel food cake, you want a soft, light texture with just enough structurethe low protein content of cake flour helps achieve this.
You can make a cake flour substitute by mixing a few tablespoons of cornstarch into all-purpose flour, which will help inhibit gluten formation. The result? A cake that’s just as tender as it would be if you used store-bought cake flour.
King Arthur Unbleached Cake Flour
- Higher-rising, tender cakes with a fine, moist crumb.
- No bleach, no bromate, and no artificial preservatives of any kind
- Quality and consistency standards: the strictest in the industry
- 100% American grown and milled
- King Arthur Baking Company, America’s oldest flour company, is 100% employee-owned, a founding B Corporation, and the nation’s premier baking resource
Cake Flour, Unbleached & Unenriched
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Storing In The Fridge/freezer
If you store your cake flour in the fridge or freezer, it can last up to three years- which is excellent news for those who might not use their cake flour as often as a baker such as myself. Heres how to do it.
- Place cake flour in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag. When stored in the fridge or freezer, cake flour shouldnt be left in its original packaging. Transfer the cake flour to an airtight container or resealable plastic bag.
- Date it. Although cake flour can last indefinitely in the fridge or freezer, knowing when you initially added it to your appliance is essential.
After all, you might not be concerned about spoilage in a two-month-old container of cake flour. On the other hand, a three-year-old container might be a bit riskier, and youll want to double-check it for signs of spoilage.
- store in small increments. I prefer to store cake flour in small, resealable plastic bags. That way, I can pull out small portions from the fridge or freezer when I need them without thawing the whole amount.
What Is Cake Flour And Where Can I Find It In Australia
Cake flour is essentially a low protein flour that has a lower ability of forming extensive gluten networks, making cakes lighter and fluffier. If you want a break down as to why you should be using cake flour instead of all-purpose flour, we break that down here.
In terms of where you can find it Lighthouse Biscuit, Pastry & Cake and Lighthouse Cake, Sponge & Steamed Bun flour is the only cake flour available through Australian supermarkets. You can purchase it through Coles, Woolworths and IGA supermarkets.
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The Best Flour For Crepes Ultimate Guide
Jaron*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure to learn more.
Crepes make a delicious breakfast food or a sweet treat. You can personalize them in so many ways and make them just about any way you would like to. Theyre not terribly challenging to make but they do take a bit of work to make them correctly.
To make delicious crepes, you have to have the proper ingredients to work with. That includes using the best flour for the job. So what is the best flour for crepes? Can you just use any flour you have on hand?
The most common flour is all-purpose flour and it is primarily a universal flour but sometimes working with a specialized flour produces better results in the long run.
We will talk about all of that and more throughout this guide and lead you through several flour ideas as well as letting you know the best flours on the market that you can use for your crepes.
We encourage you to keep reading so that you can learn all of the important information about flour and crepes.
What Differentiates Cake Flour
The thing that differentiates all flours from one another is something youve probably heard about a few times this year: gluten. Gluten makes up the protein content of flours, and every type of flour has a different protein content. In your baked goods and doughs, the gluten protein content helps the flour bind all the ingredients together. This means that the higher the protein content in your flour, the more dense and sticky the dough or batter will be. You can imagine that a flour often used in cakes and light-textured products would logically have a low protein content. And youd be right! As mentioned, cake flour ranges between 5-8% protein, whereas all purpose flour ranges between 10-13% protein.
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Where Can I Find Cake Flour
Most standard grocery stores carry cake flour.
However, you may find it in the cake mix aisle instead of with the other flours, so check there before assuming your store doesnt have it.
In many places, youre looking for a box rather than a bag, as it often comes in a box of flour instead of the more traditional flour bag.
You can also easily order it online.
Can I Substitute Bread Flour For Cake Flour
Much like the reason that substituting all-purpose flour for cake flour can be a risky business, bread flour has a similar problem. You see, cake flour has its low protein content, all-purpose flour has a higher protein content which makes a harder dough, but this can easily be tampered with using cornstarch to help make your cakes a little lighter and fluffier. Yet, bread flour is even harder, with a higher protein count than both cake flour and all-purpose flour. This does make it perfect for bread as it provides a harder texture which is something you want from bread.
However, this does mean that it is not really suitable for cakes. While you could give it a try and make an attempt and using cornstarch with it, it is unlikely that it will yield the results you are looking for.
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Where To Get Cake Flour
Enriched and bleached cake flour is sold online. Cake flour may be hard to find in average supermarkets and grocery stores.
The best places to find specific baking ingredients, utensils, and materials are specialty baking stores. In these shops, you can find exactly what you need for any recipe, easy or hard.
Not only can you find the ingredients youll need for your own bake, but you may be able to find some of their kits to bake. For example, Lehi Mills offers merchandise ranging from apparel to whole wheat waffle mix and available recipes such as their cheesecake pancakes recipe.
Why Do You Use Cake Flour Instead Of Regular All
Since cake flour has such a low protein content, it produces less gluten when used in recipes. Therefore, it is primarily used in baking recipes for cakes, cookies, and muffins when a soft texture and light, airy result is desired. It is perfect for using when baking white cakes or cupcakes as well as tea cakes.
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Is There A Substitute
You bet! While I prefer the real deal, you can certainly make your own if youre in a pinch and cant find pre-made. Heres what you do:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons
- 1 cup cake flour
For one cup of AP flour, take out two tablespoons and replace with two tablespoons cornstarch. Then sift the mixture at least two times a couple more would be great. You need to get the mixture as fine as possible, so dont skip this step. This also helps to mix in the cornstarch really well.
THEN measure 1 cup of flour from that sifted mixture.
Ok! There you have it! Everything you need to know about cake flour. Hopefully this answers your questions, but if not, feel free to ask questions in the comments.
What Is Cake Flour In Australia Here’s Everything You Need To Know
What is cake flour in Australia you may ask? Well, cake flour is a finely ground flour made from soft wheat thats commonly used in American recipes.
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It contains very low protein and is usually bleached.
Because of its lower protein content, cake flour produces less gluten making it best for cakes that require a fluffy texture and fine crumb
The main difference between cake flour and other flours is the protein content.
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