Cake flour is a finely milled flour made from soft wheat that's usually bleached. It's used in cakes and cupcakes to produce a fine, tender crumb and fluffy texture. Because the texture is finer, cake flour weighs less than all-purpose flour and has a slightly lower protein content.

Is cake flour the same as plain flour?

Cake flour is a low protein flour that's milled into a fine consistency. It contains about 7-9% protein, while all-purpose flour, a harder flour, has anywhere between 10-12%. ... Cake flour's lower protein means less gluten is formed as you mix the batter together.

What is a substitute for cake flour?

You can make a cake flour substitute with a mix of all-purpose flour and cornstarch because the cornstarch helps inhibit the formation of some of the gluten in the all-purpose flour. The result? A cake that's just as tender as it would be if you used store-bought cake flour.