I searched through the forum to see if there was a thread about this already but I couldn't find one.

What is the difference between cake flour and white flour? I have been using cake flour because that's what the recipes call for. But I don't know what the difference is.

Anybody expiremented with flours?

When you say white flour, do you mean all purpose flour?

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-628223-flour.html

If it calls for cake flour, then I'd use that. All my recipes call for "flour" so I use all-purpose.

I think the OP means All purpose by white. You can make cake flower by useing 3/4cups AP flour + 2 tablespoons corn starch for every 1 cup cake flour.

I have a pound cake recipe that I use that calls for cake flour. I have never used cake flour. I have always used all purpose flour. For every cup of all purpose flour subtract one tablespoon. Has never failed me yet. HTH

I always use APF. If I am not mistaken, I think cake flour gives the cake a much finer texture.

Ah! I actually know this thanks to Good Eats. ...his recipes are not uniformly felicitous but the show is always informative.

Cake flour has less gluten in it than all-purpose flour. It produces a finer texture. Generally, you can use all-purpose flour without too many problems, as long as you take out a tablespoon per cup. It just produces more air bubbles.

I've found that using AP flour in place of cake flour makes little difference, but that using cake flour in place of AP flour produces a product that can be a little...sticky? It wasn't really sticky or undercooked, but the texture was so fine on these scones that it felt sticky anyway.

Thanks varika for confirming that. I guess I am right.

Thank you! It makes much more sense now. Especially after seeing that picture on the link from the other thread.

And what about Pastry flour? Or is that just another name for cake flour?