Cake Flour substitutes
The best substitute for cake flour is all-purpose flour + cornstarch: Measure 1 cup all-purpose flour, remove 2 tbsp, add 2 tbsp cornstarch, then sift together three times. Drops the effective protein to roughly cake flour's 7 to 9 percent, which is the main thing. Shop-bought cake flour is also chlorinated, which helps it carry more sugar and fat, so sponges come out very slightly less fine.
Why it matters. A low-protein flour, around 7 to 9 percent, usually chlorinated. Less protein means less gluten, which is what makes a sponge fine-grained and tender. Use bread flour instead and the same batter bakes chewy and tight.
BestAll-purpose flour + cornstarch
●●●●○Measure 1 cup all-purpose flour, remove 2 tbsp, add 2 tbsp cornstarch, then sift together three times
Keeps the structure and thickener roles.
Drops the effective protein to roughly cake flour's 7 to 9 percent, which is the main thing. Shop-bought cake flour is also chlorinated, which helps it carry more sugar and fat, so sponges come out very slightly less fine.
Pastry flour
●●●●○1:1
Keeps the structure and thickener roles.
At 8 to 9 percent protein it is very close, but it is not chlorinated, so it absorbs a little less liquid and the crumb is marginally coarser.
UK plain flour
●●●●○1:1
Keeps the structure and thickener roles.
UK plain flour is typically 9 to 10 percent protein, softer than American all-purpose, so it starts much closer to cake flour. Still a touch stronger, so mix lightly.
All-purpose flour + arrowroot
●●●○○1 cup all-purpose flour minus 2 tbsp, plus 2 tbsp arrowroot; sift three times
Keeps the structure and thickener roles.
Lowers the protein the same way the cornstarch version does, but arrowroot can leave a faintly slippery mouthfeel in a rich batter.
Self-rising flour
●●●○○1:1, and leave out the recipe's baking powder and salt
Keeps the structure and thickener roles.
Milled from soft low-protein flour, so the tenderness is right, but the leavening is already in it and must be accounted for or the cake will over-rise and collapse.
Italian 00 flour
●●●○○1:1
Keeps the structure and thickener roles.
Very finely milled, but 00 describes the grind, not the protein, which ranges from 8 to 12 percent by brand. Check the packet, because a strong 00 behaves nothing like cake flour.
All-purpose flour alone
●●●○○1 cup minus 2 tbsp all-purpose flour per 1 cup cake flour; weigh it if you can
Keeps the structure and thickener roles.
Two to four percentage points more protein means more gluten, so the crumb is chewier and tighter and the cake sits lower. Mix as briefly as possible to limit the damage.
Other flour substitutes
Measuring by weight instead? Use the kitchen converter.