If the recipe calls for cake flour and i have all purpose can i use that?

Question

Im baking brownies and the recipe calls for 1/2 cup of cake flour and i was wondering if i can use all purpose and then add some baking powder?? i dont really want to buy an entire bag of special flour when im most likely not going to use it.

Answer 1

Cake flour contains less gluten than all-purpose flour and produces a more tender texture. Though results won't be the same, in an emergency, you can substitute 7/8 cup of all-purpose flour for one cup of cake flour.

Or in your case 1/2 cup of flour minus 1 tablespoon.

Answer 2

I think the ratio is take 2 tablespoons out of every cup of all purpose flour. You wouldn't add baking powder. Self rising flour has baking powder and salt added but not cake flour. Also make sure your flour isn't real heavy. Use Gold Medal or Martha White or Pioneer. I read in a new cookbook that King Arthur while it is good flour was a little heavy for cookies and cakes. I never have cake flour I just take out so much. One of my first cakes (newlywed) I didn't take out the flour and the cake was dry & gritty. I got out my book "Foods FAO's, Frequently Asked Questions by Linda Resnik & Dee Brock.
Cake flour: 1 cup minus 2 tblsp stirred or sifted.
Self rising flour: 1 cup all purpose flour plus 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1/8 tsp salt.
Hope this helps.

Answer 3

My baking instructor told me that AP (all purpose), bread, cake... they are all the same, it's just the grains that are finer. AP is just what it says - ALL Purpose - you can use it for anything.

If you were making a Angel Food cake, then I'd say get the cake flour - you don't want that heavy, but you aren't. Your product might be a little heavier, but brownies are heavy to begin with - it's not going to matter.

Answer 4

When I don't have cake flour on hand, I just use all-purpose flour. Just subtract 2 Tablespoons from every cup of flour.

Answer 5

Cake flour is just a finer flour. You should not have to add baking powder.

Answer 6

I have always used all purpose flour, it is more convenient and less expensive than cake flour.

Answer 7

just use all purpose in lieu of the cake flour ... if you do buy the cake flour, you can use it in other recipes that you use all purpose for.

Answer 8

if you don't want to buy cake flour, then you sould use what you have, all purpose flour, but make sure you do add the baking powder....