Cake Flour Substitute
Make your own cake flour substitute from what's already in the pantry.
Real substitutes for 1 cup of cake flour
All-purpose flour + cornstarch
1 cup all-purpose flour, minus 2 tablespoons, plus 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Sift together at least once; this lowers the protein content closer to real cake flour.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I use instead of cake flour?
Take 1 cup of all-purpose flour, remove 2 tablespoons, and replace them with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Sift the mixture together at least once so the cornstarch is evenly distributed.
Why does this substitute work?
Cake flour has a lower protein content than all-purpose flour, which produces a more tender crumb. Cutting some of the flour with cornstarch (which has no protein) approximates that lower protein percentage.
Will the texture be identical to real cake flour?
It gets close, but real cake flour is also milled finer and often bleached, which affects texture slightly further. This substitute is a reliable approximation, not a molecular match.