A helpful Cake Flour Substitute guide for when you don’t have any on hand. Simple and easy, with just 2 ingredients, but super effective. Sure to make your cake amazing!
Cake Flour Substitute
Cake flour is something I’ve frankly never even had in my kitchen. I use it so little that I just feel like it would be a waste of money. However, there are some recipes that I make, such as this fantastic Sweet German Chocolate Cake, that call for cake flour, which is a problem since I don’t have it!
Enter my trusty cake flour substitute solution! It’s super easy, uses ingredients already on hand, and your cake turns out perfect.
How to make a Cake Flour Substitute:
The switch is pretty easy. You measure out how much all-purpose flour you need in a mixing bowl. Then for every cup of flour, you remove 2 tablespoons and then add 2 tablespoons of cornstarch back in.
So just to give you an idea if the recipe calls for:
- 1 cup of cake flour, remove 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour and add 2 tablespoons of cornstarch
- 1 1/2 cups of cake flour, remove 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour and add 3 tablespoons of cornstarch
- 2 cups of cake flour, remove 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) of all-purpose flour and add 4 tablespoons of cornstarch
- 2 1/2 cups of cake flour, remove 5 tablespoons of all-purpose flour and add 5 tablespoons of cornstarch
- 3 cups of cake flour, remove 6 tablespoons of all-purpose flour and add 6 tablespoons of cornstarch
And so on. Make sure to sift the corn starch and the all-purpose flour together, or you can stir with a whisk until they’re incorporated together nicely.
That’s it! No need to buy cake flour with this easy cake flour substitute!
Did you like this Cake Flour Substitute guide? Find more on my In the Kitchen, Cakes & Cupcakes, and Desserts boards on Pinterest!
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Jenn says
January 19, 2015 at 7:26 amI only recently realized that cake flour was anything different than all-purpose flour. It isn’t even available to purchase in my small town! My son requested an angel food cake from scratch for his birthday this year and we did a little research for that project. Thanks for sharing this easy solution!
Abby says
January 20, 2015 at 8:52 pmWhat a great thing to share! I keep several kinds of flours in the kitchen, but cake flour is not one I can justify buying. I will definitely be using this trick! Thank you! (I found your post at the Winthrop Chronicles link-up)
Samantha T. says
January 21, 2015 at 8:41 amThanks for the easy substitution!
Pauline Molinari says
January 21, 2015 at 12:28 pmGreat information! Thanks so much for sharing on the Monday Funday Party!
MelanieV says
February 4, 2015 at 11:11 amBut how do I use cake flour instead of regular flour? I have a case of it and have no idea what to do with it.
Michelle says
February 4, 2015 at 11:44 amMy best recommendation for subbing cake flour for regular flour is to add about 2-4 tablespoons of cake flour per cup of all-purpose flour indicated in the recipe. So if the recipe calls for 2 cups all-purpose flour, use an additional 4-8 tablespoons if you’re using cake flour. Cake flour is lighter than all-purpose, which is why you would need a bit more.
Patricia says
May 7, 2018 at 6:16 amThank you for this information. It is greatly appreciated but I have a question ’cause I don’t want to make any mistakes when I try this.
I have a receipe that needs 1-1/4 cups cake flour so I am assuming I will remove 2-1/2 TBS of all-purpose flour and add 2-1/2 TBS of cornstartch. Am I right? Please reply.
Thank you.
Michelle says
May 7, 2018 at 7:18 pmYes, that is correct