How big of a difference does it make in flavor of a vanilla sponge between using store branded all purpose flour (for example Signature Select for Albertsons, Great Value for Walmart) versus main stream brands like King Arthur, Gold Medal, Pillsbury?

i notice zero difference — I use store brand white flour 

Just a few days ago, in a facebook group, a baker stated that she had attempted a popular recipe 3 times and it always tasted like flour. She wasn't sure what she was doing wrong. Someone suggested she use a different brand of flour, and that resolved the problem. She had been using Gold Medal, and found Bob's Red Mill made an improvement.

I've always been happy with King Arthur, and now that I've found 50lb bags for $18, I don't plan on changing.

I also use King Arthur, but in the past have used Pillsbury, Martha White and White Lily.  They all work well.  I've never used a store brand, which is odd because I use store brand for lots of things.

What did you think of White Lily? I've read a lot of praise for White Lily online. I found some and tried it, but it is self rising, and IMO has too much leavening. I saved it, and as soon as I have time to work on a recipe, I want to try making chicken and dumplings with it.

I loved it, ThatCakeDude42, and mine was also Self Rising, which I use for biscuits.  It would not be a good choice for yeast breads, but is light and fluffy for biscuits, scones and cakes.  I just recently learned that in the UK, they use Self Rising (they call it Self Raising) flour and add additional baking powder.  I tried it for a Victoria Sandwich (cake), recipe from on of my Brit friends, and it was fabulous.

I like the cheap white flour with the malted barley in it — which enhances browning or it’s supposed to — it’s what I grew up with and now I use cassava and almond flour and blablabla flour for health reasons — but if I bake ‘regular’ goodies I use what i’m used to — i didn’t like the “good” stuff like white lily  —

white lily devotees are dedicated folks

My basic go-to flour is King Arthur unbleached plain flour, but I substitute wheat flour for part of the flour in almost all my recipes.  I love the flavor of whole grain flours.  I've nevered heard to the malted barley, but I will look for it in the ingredients.

it’s in the store brand flours, pillsbury, gold medal — I doubt King Arthur uses it — but just in the white all purpose and the self rising — wonder if it’s in bisquick

-K8memphis, Bisquick does not contain malted barley, I just checked.  We always have it on hand because Mike likes to make pancakes with it.

I finally got around to making chicken and dumplings with the White Lily flour... I didn't like it in cake, but it worked great in these.

whoa — i’ll have some for breakfast right now — mmmm

It looks wonderful, ThatCakeDude42!  I LOVE chicken and dumplings!

.

these dumplings would make a perfect "cotton module" in answer to another post --

https://www.cakecentral.com/forum/t/852410/cotton-module-cake

but they are still making my mouth water!