Cake Flour: How Many Grams in a Cup?
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
Reference table
| Cups | g |
|---|---|
| 0.3 | 26 |
| 0.5 | 52 |
| 0.8 | 78 |
| 1.0 | 104 |
| 1.5 | 156 |
| 2.0 | 208 |
| 2.5 | 260 |
| 3.0 | 312 |
| 3.5 | 364 |
| 4.0 | 416 |
| 4.5 | 468 |
Best for layer cakes, chiffon cakes, angel food cake, and delicate muffins. Do not use for bread.
You can DIY cake flour: replace 2 tbsp per cup of AP flour with cornstarch and sift 5 times.
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.