Baking with Flour –
All-purpose, Cake, Pastry, & Bread Flour
Have you ever wondered how this single ingredient, flour, can be used in different recipes, and yet produce very different outcomes? From wonderful, flaky, tender pie crust to dense chewy bread? Let’s talk all about baking with flour.
When you are at the supermarket you probably see a few types of flour and wondered what’s the difference. Well, while there is so much more to learn about this one ingredient, I’m going to just tell you what you need to know about it for baking purposes.
- All-purpose flour – or plain flour (maida) is a great flour to use. And if used correctly, it can produce great results from flaky pie crust to chewy bread.
- Cake flour – has a higher percentage of protein that gives us soft tender cakes.
- Bread flour – has more gluten in it. And we use it in bread like pizza, where we want that extra elasticity.
- Pastry flour – is used when you need to make crumbly, buttery pie crusts and pastries.
What’s the difference between these different types of flour?
All flour is graded by its protein content.
- All-purpose flour has a protein content of 10 to 12 % compared to:
- Cake flour, which is about 9% while
- Bread flour has a protein content of 11 to 13% and
- Pastry flour has a protein content of about 8%
What does protein mean?
Protein is directly related to the formation of gluten in baking. So, we use flour with less protein when baking cakes, and pastries. And we use flour with more gluten when baking bread.
What is all-purpose flour?
All-purpose flour is composed of both soft and hard wheat flours, which can be bleached or unbleached. The strength and texture of the baked pies or bread is a result of the gluten that is developed when the protein in the flour is combined with heat and liquid.
That is why when making a pie crust we use our fingertips to work with the dough, trying hard not to activate the gluten. This gives us a nice flaky pastry.
On the other hand, the same flour, when kneaded rigorously with the heel of your hand, activates so much gluten that it gives us a wonderfully chewy bread.
What is cake flour?
Cake flour is milled into a fine consistency and has a low protein of 7 to 9 %. Low protein means soft and tender cakes.
Protein is what gives us that soft, light texture to baked goods. Though, while I like cake flour in my vanilla cake, white wedding cake as well as red velvet cake, I don’t’ necessarily prefer it for all cakes.
When it comes to chocolate cakes, I always prefer my all-purpose flour. I find the cocoa powder combined with an all-purpose flour gives a better texture and lightness for chocolate cakes.
How to make homemade cake flour substitutes?
It’s very easy to make cake flour at home. All you need is just all-purpose flour + cornflour. Cornflour has less gluten so it works as a tenderizing agent to making cake flour.
- Take 1 cup of all-purpose flour – Remove 2 tbsp.
- Add 2 tbsp of cornstarch/cornflour.
- Sift the all-purpose flour + cornstarch.
- It is very important that the flour is well mixed, so if necessary sift twice.
- Sifting aerates the flour and adds lightness to the cake batter.
- Now, measure out 1 cup – you may have a little extra because sifting adds volume to the flour.
- Now, you have a substitute for cake flour.
Pastry flour
Pastry flour has an even lower protein content than cake flour – about 8%. It’s often recommended when you want to bake goods that are tender, crumbly and flaky, such as pie crusts, biscuits, scones.
Homemade substitute for pastry flour
Use 2 cups all-purpose flour to 1 cup of cake flour to make 3 cups of pastry flour.
Bread flour
As I said above, the main difference is the amount of protein. Gluten is what gives bread dough it’s stretch and elasticity. It’s what makes our bread chewy.
Kneading the dough well is what creates a network of gluten strand that traps air. This, when baked, gives us that light and airy bread.
Can’t find the right flour?
When I was growing up, I did not have the luxury of different types of flours. All I had was plain all-purpose flour. That said, I was able to make wonderful flaky pie crust, croissant, cakes as well as bread all that with all-purpose flour.
My mom would say it’s not the ingredient – it’s you. You are the main ingredient in your recipe and for a long time, I’d laugh about it. Over the years I have come to believe it too.
If used correctly, all-purpose flour can produce great results.
So, don’t worry if you can’t find cake flour, bread flour or pastry flour near you. Use what you got, and with a better understanding of how to use it, you will make wonderful baked goods.
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Homemade Cake Flour Substitute
Print Pin RateDescription
Ingredients
- 1 cup All-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp Cornstarch cornflour
Instructions
- Take 1 cup of all-purpose flour – Remove 2 tbsp.
- Add 2 tbsp of cornstarch/cornflour.
- Sift the all-purpose flour + cornstarch.
- It is very important that the flour is well mixed so if necessary sift twice.
- Sifting aerates the flour and adds lightness to the cake batter.
- Now, measure out 1 cup – you may have a little extra because sifting adds volume to the flour.
- Now, you have a substitute for cake flour
Equipment
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
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Ruthie
Day 4 done
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Ruthie
vani
day 4 done
Marian
Day 4 done
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Marian
Lucy-Sarah Raymond Gounder
Day #4 Done Very informative
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Lucy
Mru
Hi der,
Can d painting b done on buttercream? If yes how long it can stay out of fridge without colors leaking out.
Also if I do it on fondant how long it stays out when made for outdoor event considering d Indian climate.as usual awesome cakes
Thanks.
Veena Azmanov
You will have to see how it works in your climate. I know that the condensation might cause bleeding. So do a test and see what happens
Sara Mamoon
Very nice