Cake Flour
Cake flour is milled from soft wheat to a density of 0.44 g/mL — the lightest of the wheat flours at 8–9% protein. Its ultra-fine particle size means it compresses easily: a sifted cup weighs 95g while a scooped cup can reach 120g. That 25g difference collapses delicate crumb structures. Always spoon-and-level or weigh cake flour.
Best for layer cakes, chiffon cakes, angel food cake, and delicate muffins. Do not use for bread.
What is Cake Flour?
Cake flour is milled from soft wheat to a density of 0.44 g/mL — the lightest of the wheat flours at 8–9% protein. Its ultra-fine particle size means it compresses easily: a sifted cup weighs 95g while a scooped cup can reach 120g. That 25g difference collapses delicate crumb structures. Always spoon-and-level or weigh cake flour.
Quick convert
- US cup = 236.588 mL
- 1 tbsp = 14.787 mL
- 1 tsp = 4.929 mL
Cake Flour — Cup → g
| Cups | g |
|---|---|
| 1/8 cup | 17 |
| 1/4 cup | 34 |
| 1/3 cup | 46 |
| 1/2 cup | 68 |
| 2/3 cup | 91 |
| 3/4 cup | 103 |
| 1 cup | 137 |
| 1 1/2 cups | 205 |
| 2 cups | 274 |
Cake Flour — Tbsp → g
| Tbsp | g |
|---|---|
| 1 | 9 |
| 2 | 17 |
| 3 | 26 |
| 4 | 34 |
| 5 | 43 |
| 6 | 51 |
| 7 | 60 |
| 8 | 69 |
| 9 | 77 |
| 10 | 86 |
| 11 | 94 |
| 12 | 103 |
| 13 | 111 |
| 14 | 120 |
| 15 | 128 |
| 20 | 171 |
| 25 | 214 |
| 30 | 257 |
Cake Flour — g → Cups
| g | Cups |
|---|---|
| 50 | 0.4 |
| 100 | 0.7 |
| 150 | 1.1 |
| 200 | 1.5 |
| 250 | 1.8 |
| 300 | 2.2 |
| 350 | 2.6 |
| 400 | 2.9 |
| 450 | 3.3 |
| 500 | 3.6 |
| 600 | 4.4 |
| 700 | 5.1 |
| 800 | 5.8 |
| 900 | 6.6 |
| 1000 | 7.3 |
Cake Flour — mL → g
| mL | g |
|---|---|
| 10 | 6 |
| 25 | 14 |
| 50 | 29 |
| 75 | 43 |
| 100 | 58 |
| 125 | 72 |
| 150 | 87 |
| 200 | 116 |
| 250 | 145 |
| 500 | 290 |
| 750 | 434 |
| 1000 | 579 |
Cake Flour — Tsp → g
| Tsp | g |
|---|---|
| 1 | 3 |
| 2 | 6 |
| 3 | 9 |
| 4 | 11 |
| 5 | 14 |
| 6 | 17 |
| 7 | 20 |
| 8 | 23 |
| 9 | 26 |
| 10 | 29 |
| 11 | 31 |
| 12 | 34 |
| 13 | 37 |
| 14 | 40 |
| 15 | 43 |
| 20 | 57 |
| 25 | 71 |
| 30 | 86 |
Cake Flour — oz → g
| oz | g |
|---|---|
| 1 | 28 |
| 2 | 57 |
| 3 | 85 |
| 4 | 113 |
| 5 | 142 |
| 8 | 227 |
| 10 | 283 |
| 12 | 340 |
| 15 | 425 |
| 20 | 567 |
| 25 | 709 |
| 30 | 850 |
| 40 | 1134 |
| 50 | 1417 |
Baking Conversion Chart
Exact cup-to-gram weights for flour, sugar, cocoa, and every baking ingredient. Print it, stick it up, bake with precision.
Substitutes for Cake Flour
Out of this ingredient? Swap it with the options below and follow the exact ratio.
Use 90g AP flour per 100g cake flour called for, or replace 2 tbsp per cup with cornstarch.
Scale:by weight
How to measure flours
Flours swing wildly in weight by volume (a cup can jump from 120g to 150g). Protein and gluten strength also change from brand to brand. Weighing is the only way to keep hydration and texture consistent for bread, pizza, cakes, and pasta.
- Spoon and level for loose; packed cups weigh more—use the packed toggle when available.
- For bread and pizza doughs, aim for consistency: measure by weight when possible.
Protein & gluten in flour
Cake Flour sits around 8.5% protein.
Storage & tools
- Store in a cool, dry pantry (under 21 °C / 70 °F) away from direct sunlight.
- Use airtight containers to keep humidity out — dry ingredients gain 1–2 % mass in humid air.
- Rotate stock: first in, first out, even when the product looks unchanged.
- Check best-by dates; potency can fade before the product looks old.
Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 1 year. Sift before use.
FAQ
- What is the difference between cake flour and all-purpose flour?
- Cake flour has 8–9% protein vs 10–12% in AP flour. Lower protein means less gluten development and a more tender, finer crumb. Cake flour is also finer-milled and bleached.
- Can I substitute AP flour for cake flour?
- Yes: for every 1 cup of cake flour (95g sifted), use 90g AP flour. Or: 1 cup AP minus 2 tbsp, replaced with 2 tbsp cornstarch, sifted well.