Cake Flour: Grams to Cups Conversion
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
| g | Cups |
|---|---|
| 50 | 0.5 |
| 100 | 1.0 |
| 150 | 1.4 |
| 200 | 1.9 |
| 250 | 2.4 |
| 300 | 2.9 |
| 350 | 3.4 |
| 400 | 3.8 |
| 450 | 4.3 |
| 500 | 4.8 |
| 600 | 5.8 |
| 700 | 6.7 |
| 800 | 7.7 |
| 900 | 8.6 |
| 1000 | 9.6 |
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.