What is Cake Flour?
Cake flour is a finely milled flour with a lower protein content (approximately 7–9%) compared to all-purpose flour. Less protein means less gluten development, which creates: A softer, more delicate melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Best for: sponge cakes, chiffon cakes, cupcakes, and other desserts where a light and fluffy crumb is desired.
What is All-Purpose Flour?
All-purpose flour (AP flour) is exactly what it sounds like: versatile. With a medium protein content (around 10–12%), it is the perfect balance between tenderness and structure.
This makes it ideal for cookies and brownies, muffins, pound cakes and sturdier cakes. AP flour gives baked goods more desnse crumb, which is great for recipes that need structure.
Which Flour Wins?
Cake:
- Cake flour makes for a lighter and fluffier cake, perfect for layered cakes.
- All-purpose flour makes cakes denser, great for rich chocolate or butter cakes where sturdiness is desired.
Cookies:
- Cake flour = softer, more tender cookies that almost melt in your mouth.
- All-purpose flour = chewier, heartier cookies with more bite.
Both cake flour and all-purpose flour have their place in the baker’s kitchen. The key is knowing when to use each one:
- Cake flour for light, tender bakes.
- All-purpose flour for structure, chew, and versatility.