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Home » Basics

Published: Sep 4, 2020 by Mimi · Leave a Comment

How to Make Cake & Pastry Flour Substitute

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This cake and pastry flour substitute will take your baking game to the next level! It helps make your final cakes and pastries light, airy, flaky, and tender! Learn how to make your own substitute at home with just 2 ingredients.

* This post was updated with new photos
Jump to:
  • Why cake and pastry flour?
  • Cake and pastry flour versus all-purpose flour:
  • Cake and pastry flour storage:
  • Recipes to try with cake and pastry flour:
  • How to Make Cake and Pastry Flour

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    Hello! And welcome back to another riveting edition of Ingredients I Always Need But Never Have!

    As you may or may not have noticed, I make a lot of desserts, and a lot of them use (or could benefit from) cake and pastry flour.

    Much like buttermilk and self-rising flour, cake and pastry flour gets added to the long shopping list of ingredients that always seem to be on my shopping list, but never make it to my pantry or fridge. It's mostly because I have A LOT of difficulty finding these ingredients in stores!

    This is where the power of DIY comes in! Cake and pastry flour is incredibly easy to make and only needs 2 ingredients: all-purpose flour and cornstarch!

    cake and pastry flour in mesh sifter set on top of parchment paper overhead image

    Why cake and pastry flour?

    You may be wondering "Why do I even need cake and pastry flour? Can't I just use all-purpose flour?" Well ... yes. But cake and pastry flour does make a difference in your baked goods, particularly with cake and pastry recipes (as the name suggests!)

    Cake and pastry flour is finer than regular all-purpose flour and also has a lower protein content. What this means for your baked goods is that they'll be less heavy (because there's less gluten weighing everything down) and more tender. Using cake and pastry flour will give you a more delicate, crumbly, and airier cake and pastry!

    sifting cake and pastry flour image

    Cake and pastry flour versus all-purpose flour:

    You can almost always substitute cake and pastry flour with all-purpose flour. This substitution won't cause any problems for your final product!

    Since all-purpose flour has more gluten, it's naturally a heavier flour, which can weigh down your desserts. So when you do have the time, making cake and pastry flour can really take your baked goods to another level!

    cake and pastry flour sifted onto parchment paper side view

    Cake and pastry flour storage:

    Your cake and pastry flour will keep until the best before dates on your flour and cornstarch. Whichever one expires first, that's the date you should go by.

    Keep cake and pastry flour stored as you would regular flour: in a cool, dry place. Keep your flour in an airtight container or sealed plastic bag. You can also freeze your flour if needed!

    cake and pastry flour sifted onto parchment paper three quarter view

    Recipes to try with cake and pastry flour:

    Marble cake
    Blueberry muffins
    Funfetti cupcakes
    Chocolate chip cookie cake
    Pie crust
    Vanilla cupcakes
    Blueberry scones


    cake and pastry flour in mesh sifter set on top of parchment paper

    How to Make Cake and Pastry Flour

    Cake and pastry flour will take your baking game to the next level! It helps make your final cakes and pastries light, airy, flaky, and tender! Learn how to make your own substitute at home with just 2 ingredients.
    4.50 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 0 minutes
    Total Time: 5 minutes
    Servings: 1 cup flour

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup all-purpose flour
    • 1 tablespoon cornstarch

    Instructions

    • Measure out 1 cup of flour and remove 1 tablespoon of flour. In a medium bowl, combine your flour and cornstarch. Whisk together until combined. Sift before using for best results!

    Notes

    * Make sure to sift your cake and pastry flour before using. Sifting helps aerate the flour and helps make it finer. 
    * Cake and pastry flour will keep for as long as your flour and cornstarch are good for. It's best to use the cake and pastry flour up before the best before date of whichever ingredient expires first. 
    Tried this recipe?Tag @eatsdelightfulblog or use #eatsdelightful!

    Enjoy!


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    Hi, I'm Mimi! I'm a former finance professional, turned full-time food blogger, photographer, and recipe creator. Welcome to my little corner of the internet!

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