Hello Everybody!

 I would like to find a good authentic homemade cake flour recipe, instead of relying on the store bought ones.

I have found a few recipes online that basically refers to replacing 2 Tblsps of All-Purpose Flour with 2 Tblsp of Cornstarch per each cup used.

I mean, is it really that simple?

 And another question, can I use that same homemade cake flour for quick breads like, Lemon Bread loaf, Banana Bread, pound cakes, etc...?

I will appreciate any direction or advice!

Thanks to All and happy Baking!   :-)

since i finallly tried it once i discovered it's not that simple --my vanilla pound cake tasted like corn -- it was good kind of but corny good --

so it might be pleasant for some baked goods but i would recommend just using cake flour although i've never used cake flour in a quick bread -- i usually use all purpose -- it's got less protein (cf) and it's a lighter finished product and usually you want quick breads that are heartier so they hold together well because they are not yeasted or kneaded to hold it all together

K8memphis                

Thanks a lot for your response, I've tried all purples flower for loaf pound cakes and something seems off, I make sure that the expiration dates are good, etc...

But at the end, the final product is not spongy, sometime ago I offered a slice of lemon bread to a friend and he jokingly called Lemon Brick, I was devastated, oh well, gotta keep looking for a good recipe, LOL !!!!! 

Thanks for the information! 

it wouldn't be your flour though -- i wonder what your recipe looked like -- did you beat it a long time?

I tried those tricks for using the corn starch with regular flour and they never turn out right.  The cake flour is more expensive but for a nice fluffy white or yellow cake, there is no substitute.  The cake flour is milled a lot finer and it has less protein so it will work differently than all purpose flour.  If you are making quick breads, I would stick to the regular flour because you need to have that nice sturdy texture.  The only other suggestion is to make sure you never over mix any recipe because that makes your product turn out dry and icky.  I bet someone with a science background can explain all of the details for the differences between real and home made cake flour.  All I have to go on is a lot of trial and error.   :)

Hello K8memphis

 Sorry for the late reply!

Well actually I don't remember beating it for a long time, as I remember following the original recipe. It looks like a nice mixed batter and ready to bake. The appearance was pretty good but it was actually as hard as a brick to put it that way.               Ever since I've felt a little intimidated to "bake and share" with others BUT, here I go again trying it once more! :-)

I guess I would just search for an authentic lemon pound cake recipe and give it another try... 

By any chance do you happen to have a favorite one that I could try?

Thank you so much for your reply...  :-) 

Hi BatterBob - early on I did use that method and had marginal success in imitating cake flour. If you're lucky enough to have a Restaurant Depot (or Jetro) next to you then you can buy 50lb bags of it for about $15. A lot cheaper than supermarkets typically. I think it's labeled as high-ratio.

Hope that helps.

Frank

Hi BatterBob - early on I did use that method and had marginal success in imitating cake flour. If you're lucky enough to have a Restaurant Depot (or Jetro) next to you then you can buy 50lb bags of it for about $15. A lot cheaper than supermarkets typically. I think it's labeled as high-ratio.

Hope that helps.

Frank

Hello Happyfood!

I am sorry for the late reply,

you are right about the cake flour, maybe since I've always wanted to "bake from scratch" and cake flour is already prepared, I thought I could get around it. And as you say, it is a matter of trials and errors, that might be my next step into perfection. Thanks for the tips and for writing!!!  :-)

Hey Frank68,

Indeed you are right, believe me I've been on this quest for quite some time. Ironically the only Publix near my house doesn't carry cake flour, to me that's beyond comprehension, LOL !!!

That's probably why my interest in "baking from scratch" kicked in the idea of making my own cake flour...

I totally agree with you. 

Thanks a lot for your message!  :-) 

yes i do have a great pound cake recipe -- it is a vanilla though -- i'd just add the zest of one lemon 2-3 teaspoons of zest -- y'know just the yellow part of the rind no white and rub it with granulated sugar until it smells fragrant -- that releases the lemon oils -- and a teaspoon or two of lemon extract --

• 3 cups sugar
• 1 cup butter
• 6 eggs
• 3 cups flour*
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla**

 I'd rather not substitute cornstarch for cake flour.  For the reasons @Happyfood explained. I'd use all-purpose flour or I'd drive into town and buy some cake flour.

K8memphis- thanks a lot!

this one looks like a winner, I will definitely bake this one... I just printed it.

wait for an update and review soon !!! :-D

thank you so much!!! :-) 

Hello MBalaska,

Yes, I thought about the same thing though, but in my desperation for trying something new I thought I'd be "safe" with that. But there is a lot more behind it and I learned.

I have actually learned more than I thought about cake flour, I appreciate ALL of you who have offered your comments, experiences and tips. 

let's keep BAKIN' !!!  :-) 

If your recipe calls for cake flour, you might try asking Publix to special order it for you. If they carry it at one of their stores in you region, chances are they can. I did that with a flavor of yogurt. My Publix stopped carrying peach, but the other stores didn't so they special ordered if for me. Granted I had to order a case (about a dozen) at a time, but it was the only flavor my hubby liked at the time so it was worth it.

Now pastry flour is something no one around me carries, so I have to substitute it with all purpose flour and cake flour (1/2 all purpose and 1/2 cake flour). works fine in my muffin recipe when I need whole wheat pastry flour. :)

It isn't just that cake flour is milled differently, it's made form a different type of wheat. Cake flour is about 6% protein, and protein is what develops into the gluten that binds the structure of the batter together, to put it simply. The more gluten the tougher the final product will be.

Cake flour- 6% protein

Pastry flour (for biscuits and muffins, etc) 8% protein

All Purpose flour- 10-11% protein

Bread flour- 13%  protein

 When you substitute the corn starch you're just removing some of the protein from the original recipe and putting something else in its place, but you don't even need to add the corn starch. If you're desperate you can just remove a couple of tablespoons of AP flour per cup and use that, no need to add the corn starch. But it won't be the same as using the cake flour to begin with.

If you're looking for a lower protein flour you can use White Lily if they have that. It's a pastry flour so it's not as high in protein as an AP flour. When I moved to Virginia I couldn't find cake flour so I bought some White Lily, and I could tell that there was a difference in my cakes even with the small difference in the protein. I called the White Lily company and asked them what percentage of protein it was and they said 8%, so it's a pastry flour, which makes sense because they advertise it for biscuits (the baking soda kind, not cookies, for the UK people). 

But making substitutions won't be the same as using real cake flour because it's just a different type of wheat to begin with. 

Hello costumeczar!

What you tell me makes a lot of sense. I didn't know that much about substitutions and protein percentages in the different types of flours and WOW there is a whole big "baking cakes" world out there. I am grabbing every info I can get and LEARN!

Thanks a lot for your message and the protein chart, now I have a clear vision, that is super helpful!  :-)

Hello craftybanana2,

Super interesting about your pasty mix, that is a new one for me to try!

Might as well and following all the replies to my initial posting I will get cake flour, I will start at my nearest Publix which is where I do my grocery shopping every Saturday morning, I know for fact that they don't carry it BUT I will request if they bring it, it blows my mind to think they don't carry it and being in North Miami Beach, where we have a lot of Caribbean people that bake killer Rum Cakes just to mention one, I wonder what they use then...

Although I refuse to buy the boxed mix stuff, LOL !!!!

Thank You so much for your message!  :-) 

just the way you worded that makes me want to say -- cake flour comes in a box so if you're only looking at the bags you might still see/find it on the bottom shelf somewhere by the bisquick in that type of box -- i can't imagine a heavily populated area like miami area not having cake flour at the main grocery stores -- but maybe they don't?

just the way you worded that makes me want to say -- cake flour comes in a box so if you're only looking at the bags you might still see/find it on the bottom shelf somewhere by the bisquick in that type of box -- i can't imagine a heavily populated area like miami area not having cake flour at the main grocery stores -- but maybe they don't?

BatterBob  

I found a great book to help with the understanding of all things flour.  It is also chock full of great recipes.  King Arthur Flour Company puts out a book called "The Baker's Companion".   I found it to be tons of help when I was trying to learn about baking from scratch. 

costumeczar

I am going to have to experiment with the pastry flour.  Sometimes my store is out of cake flour and I am curious to see how the pastry flour might work in a pinch.  I also have a nice chocolate cake recipe that uses APF so I would like to see how the pastry flour might change the texture.  If nothing else, and the cake is a flop, I will have cake pop material.  :)

I buy cake flour at Publix all the time. It looks like this.

Besides using cake flour, have you tried sifting your dry ingredients multiple times first?  I have been able to "lighten up" a dense banana bread just with a little extra sifting.  I have also had luck with quick breads if you let them rest a little before going into the oven, I guess because of the double acting baking powder?

Yep, that's what they carry at my store too. Although I only have one recipe that calls for cake flour, most of mine call for all-purpose. They might be making those "killer rum cakes" with all purpose flour, you never know! ;)

Forgot to add that since we are in the same region (central-south Florida) they will special order for you if they don't have it on the shelf. Also, try Walmart (cake flour search), if they don't have it on the shelf, I believe it's on their website and they do "ship-to-store" with most things. I just found out recently that I can order larger quantities from their website than what I can find in the store. Now to find an excuse to order those quantities...

My understanding is that cake flour is more than just low protein, it's also bleached. Not sure what's involved but I think I notice a chemical-ly taste that I'm blaming on the cake flour. I've read that potato starch works better than corn starch to mix with ap flour to approximate cake flour, and that's what I want to try next. 

so then you will use unbleached flour and add the starch to that? please post your results -- all the zillion different flours & starches available now boggle my brain -- you could try tapioca flour and rice flour too i guess and there are others i'm sure like arrowroot...