Baking
Substitute for Cake Flour
No cake flour? Measure 1 cup all-purpose, remove 2 tbsp and add 2 tbsp cornstarch, then sift. Pastry flour and plain all-purpose also work, with tradeoffs.
- vegetarian
- vegan
Quick answer
Out of cake flour? The most versatile swaps:
- 1
All-purpose flour + cornstarch
¾ cup + 2 tbsp all-purpose + 2 tbsp cornstarch per cup (105 g + 14 g)
- 2
All-purpose flour, less 2 tbsp
1 cup minus 2 tbsp (⅞ cup) all-purpose per cup
- 3
Pastry flour
1 cup + 2 tbsp pastry flour per cup
Cake flour is finely milled soft wheat with less protein than all-purpose: King Arthur’s is 10% against 11.7%, and Exploratorium lists fine cake flours as low as 7 to 8 percent. Less protein means less gluten when the batter is mixed, so the cake sets with a fine, even, tender crumb instead of a bready one. Every substitute works by lowering the gluten the flour can form.
Butter cakes and cupcakes
The all-purpose and cornstarch blend is King Arthur’s own formula: 105 g all-purpose whisked with 14 g cornstarch, used by equal weight or volume. By volume that is a cup with 2 tablespoons of flour swapped for cornstarch. Sift it well and mix the batter only until the flour disappears.
When cornstarch is missing too, ⅞ cup of all-purpose per cup of cake flour is the Nebraska Extension figure. The cake comes out a touch coarser, which matters little under frosting.
Biscuits, scones and shortcakes
Pastry flour is softer still and gives flaky, tender results. Weigh it if possible: a cup is lighter than a cup of cake flour, so add 2 tablespoons per cup when measuring by volume. Self-rising flour suits these recipes too, provided the baking powder and salt it carries are subtracted.
When not to substitute
Chiffon, angel food and high-ratio white cakes, where sugar outweighs the flour, depend most on cake flour’s fineness and low protein. All-purpose versions rise lower and are chewier; if appearance matters, buy cake flour. Never use bread flour here, since its extra gluten makes cakes tough and tunnelled.
Common mistakes
- Adding cornstarch on top of a full cup of flour. The blend replaces 2 tablespoons of flour; adding it on top leaves too much dry ingredient and a dense cake.
- Skipping the sift. Uneven starch gives gummy streaks and flat spots.
- Overbeating after the flour goes in. All-purpose builds gluten fast, which undoes the point of the swap.
- Forgetting self-rising flour’s leavening. Doubled baking powder makes the cake rise, then fall, with a bitter aftertaste.
All 4 substitutes at a glance
| Substitute | Ratio | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-purpose flour + cornstarch Baking | ¾ cup + 2 tbsp all-purpose + 2 tbsp cornstarch per cup (105 g + 14 g) | layer cakes, cupcakes, sponge cakes, soft cookies | Cornstarch has no gluten-forming protein, so it dilutes the flour toward cake flour's lower protein. Sift the two together at least twice; pockets of starch leave pale, gummy streaks. |
| All-purpose flour, less 2 tbsp Baking | 1 cup minus 2 tbsp (⅞ cup) all-purpose per cup | butter cakes, muffins, quick breads, coffee cake | Using less of a stronger flour keeps total gluten in check. The crumb is slightly coarser and less velvety than with cake flour, but the cake rises and sets normally. |
| Pastry flour Baking | 1 cup + 2 tbsp pastry flour per cup | tender cakes, scones, biscuits, shortcake | Pastry flour is soft and low in protein but lighter per cup (106 g vs 120 g), so a little more matches cake flour by weight. Texture is close; whiteness and fine grain are a little less pronounced. |
| Self-rising flour Baking | 1:1, minus 1½ tsp baking powder and ¼ tsp salt per cup | simple sheet cakes, biscuits, cupcakes | Milled from soft wheat at about 8.5% protein, so tenderness is similar. It already contains leavening and salt; cut those from the recipe or the cake overrises and tastes soapy. |
Substitute calculator
How much cake flour does your recipe call for?
- All-purpose flour + cornstarch¾ cup + 2 tbsp all-purpose flour + 2 tbsp cornstarch
- All-purpose flour, less 2 tbsp¾ cup + 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- Pastry flour1 cup + 2 tbsp pastry flour
- Self-rising flour1 cup self-rising flour
Amounts are rounded to practical kitchen measures. Swaps without a fixed ratio, or that can't be measured in the unit you picked, show their ratio instead.
Frequently asked questions
Do I really need to sift homemade cake flour?
Yes. Cornstarch is finer and clumps differently from flour, and whisking alone leaves small pockets. Sifting the measured flour and cornstarch together two or three times spreads the starch evenly and aerates the mix.
Can I use all-purpose flour in angel food cake?
It works, but the cake is shorter and less tender. Angel food has no fat or chemical leavening, so the flour's gluten shows more. King Arthur notes cake flour gives a taller, more tender angel food.
Can cake flour replace all-purpose flour?
Only in tender batters, using about 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons per cup. In cookies, bars and breads, a cup-for-cup swap can leave them too weak to hold shape, so they sink or crumble.
Is cake flour gluten-free?
No. It is wheat flour with less protein, not without it. For a gluten-free cake use a gluten-free blend designed for cakes, ideally one that already includes xanthan gum.
Sources
- How to make cake flour, King Arthur Baking
- Cake flour vs. all-purpose flour, King Arthur Baking
- Ingredient weight chart, King Arthur Baking
- Protein percentage in flour: why it matters, King Arthur Baking
- Basic ingredient substitutions, University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension
- How to substitute self-rising flour for all-purpose flour, King Arthur Baking
- Flour (Science of Cooking), Exploratorium
More baking substitutes
Substitute for All-Purpose Flour
No all-purpose flour? Bread flour swaps cup for cup, use 1 cup + 2 tbsp cake flour per cup for tender cakes, and half whole wheat for muffins and breads.
Read
Substitute for Bread Flour
Out of bread flour? All-purpose works cup for cup with a little less water; add 1 tsp vital wheat gluten per cup for chewy bagels, pizza and crusty loaves.
Read
Substitute for Egg Wash
No egg for the wash? Brush on heavy cream for deep browning, milk for a soft golden crust, or plant milk with a little maple syrup for a vegan shine.
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Substitute for Self-Rising Flour
Make self-rising flour in a minute: whisk 1 cup all-purpose flour with 1½ tsp baking powder and ¼ tsp salt. Pastry flour gets closer to soft Southern brands.
Read