Holy Moly! I just need to share this!
My white cakes have had the texture of a carrot cake 
until I discovered Softasilk by Pillsbury. Yipee! 
My white cake turned out as yummy as the Ron Ben-Israel cake I had when I attended his workshop! 
My clients are gonna love this! 
I make everything from scratch. I've tried doctoring from organic box mixes but it wasn't the "right" kind of texture I was looking for. Softasilk is just cake flour but the correct kidn of cake flour.
I've looked and tried all types of "cake flour" only to find that it really didn't give me the texture it was supposed to that only cake flour gives.
In baking text books there's a whole chapter dedicated to the different types of flour and what makes them different and why you cannot use one for all things.
Wow. I am impressed that you make everything from scratch. I have been having the hardest time finding a white cake reciepe from scratch. All the people I do cakes for love the duncan hines frech vanilla mix. But I have been having trouble with the mix here lately. It doesn't rise or doesn't cook completely in the center with out burning the edges...blah, blah, blah...
I have serched the world wide web and have yet to find a french vanilla recepie.
I have always baked from scratch. I used to use Swans down cake flour until I tried Softassilk. It is a BIG diference in the taste and texture of cakes. It's a much softer crumb. Even If a recipe called for AP flour I still use softassilk and add two T per cup. I can't see Baking a cake without it. It is the best.
Where do you find it? Walmart doesn't carry it?
They don't carry it at my super walmart Maybe publix?
Wondra (a low protein pre-gelatinized flour) is most often used to thicken sauces and gravy because it dissolves quickly in hot or cold liquids.
Here's an overview of most flours, and how they differ by application (cake flour, AP flour, etc.):
http://www.ochef.com/21.htm
Above also includes British and non-American names for flour.
Choosing flour for baking:
(An article that has photos of most major brand flour products.)
http://www.taunton.com/finecooking/articles/choosing-flour-for-baking.aspx
HTH
Softasilk is on the top shelf of the Super Wal-Mart stores, right above regular flour. It is in a box, and is almost always found right next to the tubes of Wondra flour.
I have been using cake flour ever since I found a wholesale source for it. It definitely makes a difference, even in brownies. And pastry flour is now all I use for cookie baking.
Theresa
[Holy Moly! I just need to share this!
My white cakes have had the texture of a carrot cake until I discovered Softasilk by Pillsbury. Yipee! My white cake turned out as yummy as the Ron Ben-Israel cake I had when I attended his workshop!
My clients are gonna love this! ]
MamaBerry, can you (or anyone) tell me if the Swanson brand is as good as the Pillsbury brand?[/quote]
Wondra (a low protein pre-gelatinized flour) is most often used to thicken sauces and gravy because it dissolves quickly in hot or cold liquids.
Here's an overview of most flours, and how they differ by application (cake flour, AP flour, etc.):
http://www.ochef.com/21.htm
Above also includes British and non-American names for flour.
Choosing flour for baking:
(An article that has photos of most major brand flour products.)
http://www.taunton.com/finecooking/articles/choosing-flour-for-baking.aspx
HTH
Thanks Jan H. I really appreciate this. I don't have any "baking" books and I'm not sure which one to buy. So this helps me Tremediously... 
I agree I will always use softasilk in all my cakes.
Has anyone tried the devils food or vanilla cake off the back of the box?
I can only find swan cake flour, is that just as good as soft as silk cake flour
I have always just used regular flour so thank you for the heads up. I will add it to my growing list of flours and only use it in my cakes if it makes them that much better. I can't wait to try it.
That's why I (heart) this board---I'm a Swans Down user, and was wondering why my cake crumb is still so coarse. I will try Softassilk with my next cake and hope for great results. Thanks !!
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