What can I use instead of Cake flour?

AP flour + cornstarch: 1 cup minus 2 Tbsp AP flour + 2 Tbsp cornstarch; sift twice.

Substitute for Cake flour

What it does in a recipe: Low protein (~8%) for tender, fine-crumbed cakes.

1 substitutes, ranked by what's already in your pantry. Amounts are dataset values — US and metric where a ratio exists.

AP flour + cornstarch

per 1 cup cake flour

US1 cup minus 2 Tbsp AP flour + 2 Tbsp cornstarch; sift twice

Metric105 g AP flour + 15 g cornstarch

Pantry stapleBaking-safe ✓Dairy-freeEgg-freeNut-freeSoy-freeVeganAlcohol-freeSesame-freeContains gluten

Cornstarch dilutes AP's protein, limiting gluten.

What changes: Nothing when sifted well

Best for: Cakes, tender crumbs

Related swaps

AP flour + cornstarch instead of Cake flour

Common questions

What can I use instead of Cake flour?: AP flour + cornstarch: 1 cup minus 2 Tbsp AP flour + 2 Tbsp cornstarch; sift twice.
What is the exact ratio to substitute Cake flour?: AP flour + cornstarch (per 1 cup cake flour) — US: 1 cup minus 2 Tbsp AP flour + 2 Tbsp cornstarch; sift twice. Metric: 105 g AP flour + 15 g cornstarch.
What changes when you substitute Cake flour?: Nothing when sifted well.

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