The difference between cake flour, all purpose flour and bread flour. Which do you need, and why?
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An explanation of the different types of flour available, and which type is right for your particular baking needs.
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that cake flour is good for cake, and bread flour is good for…wait for it…Bread! But why, and why do some all purpose flours seem to make great bread, and others turn out disappointing loaves, and what the heck is self raising flour anyways?
The primary difference between different types of flour are the quantity of the wheat germ and bran that are milled with the flour, and the type of wheat used for the flour, and the relative protein content of that wheat.
Whole wheat flour is simply wheat that has been milled into flour with some, or all, of the germ and bran still attached.
Additionally, different varieties of wheat contain different amounts of protein, and the more protein is contained in the flour, the higher gluten it has.
Gluten are the strands of amino acid proteins that bind together in a bread dough after the mixture of water, and the creation of longer and stronger chains of gluten through mechanical mixing (kneading). The higher the protein content, the more gluten can be developed. These chains of gluten are important for bread, as they are what allow the dough to capture the created gasses during the cooking and leavening processes, and expand from dense to light. High gluten is not considered an asset when making pastries, pie crusts, biscuits etc, as the gluten can make these tough and chewy.
The protein contents are approximately:
Cake flour:7-8%
Southern all purpose flour:7.5-9.5%
Northern all purpose flour:11-12%
Bread flour:12-13%
There is a difference between all purpose flour from the southern climates, and that from more northern climates, and the more northerly grown the wheat, the higher the gluten content. This can explain why an all purpose flour bought in Wisconsin makes a great bread, and an all purpose flour bought in Alabama doesn't.
Whole wheat flour is high in protein, but the protein from the germ and bran is not well turned into gluten, and as such, whole wheat breads tend to be heavier, but more flavorful then white flour breads. Rye bread contains very little gluten, and as such 100% rye breads are very dense.
Cake flour is a low gluten flour that has also been chemically altered slightly for better use in cake baking.
Self raising flour is generally all purpose flour that has had baking powder mixed in, and do not require any additional baking powder to be added when making biscuits, pancakes or muffins.
So, if you are making bread, use a northern all purpose, or bread flour, and if making pastry, use a southern all purpose, cake or pastry flour. Always look for flour labeled unbleached, as it tastes better, and store whole wheat flour in the fridge or freezer.
The reason that you spend so much time kneading when making a breads dough, is to create lots of these strong gluten chains, and if you under knead, your bread will generally fail to rise well.
Don’t worry too much about it all though, as most of the time, using whatever flour you have on hand will work out just fine, and you should never not bake that apple pie, just because you only have bread flour on hand. Bake those cookies; make that bread, and enjoy the aroma of home baking; it's always appreciated.
From the very well respected King Arthur milling company
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Comments
Hi Debbie,
That's a pretty common technique, as most people find a 100% whole wheat bread to be a bit too dense and heavy, due to the lack of gluten in a whole wheat flour. By mixing together the whole wheat with white (bread) flour you get some of the taste and nutritional benefits of the whole wheat flour, with the leavening ability of the higher gluten white bread flour.
You sound like you make a mean loaf!
French "white flour" is considered superior by many, as more of the bran is milled into the flour, giving the flour a slightly tan coloration, and a more robust taste. You can mimic this if desired by adding a small percentage of whole wheat flour (10%) into your bread flour, when making a straight white loaf.
Thanks for the comment
I hope you don't mind me asking but what's the reason for storing the wheatflour in the fridge or freezer?
The wheat germ and bran that are milled with the grain in a whole wheat flour are far more perishable, and can go rancid over time. By storing whole wheat flour in the freezer, you greatly extend the usable shelf life.
Thanks for the comment
i have a receipe that mixes corn flour with plain flour to bake cookies. Why do we do so?
I've heard that you can substitute cornstarch and all-purpose flour for cake flour? Would you happen to know if this is true and the texture come sout the same?
I'm afraid I don't know if the taste would be the same, but cornstarch is gluten free, so by mixing in some with all purpose flour you would lower the overall gluten content down into the range of cake flour. Cake flour is not simply low gluten flour though, it is also chemically treated to make it more usefull in cake bakery.
Sorry I can't be more helpfull, but I'd guess that it would work, but would not work as well as real cake flour.
This is a great hub. I always wondered the difference.
THANKS FOR THE INFORMATION JOHN..=)
another question, I have a recipe for chocolate chip cookies that calls for both pastry and bread flour , can any one tell me why those instead of all purpose
another question, I have a recipe for chocolate chip cookies that calls for both pastry and bread flour , can any one tell me why those instead of all purpose
Wisconsin flour makes a great bread...........I didn't know that and I'm living in Wis. but from the South.
Enjoyed your hub.
I have been trying to find "bread flour" in the supermarket but all I come up with is Bakers Flour and Bread Mix, so which should I use as there is nothing that just says Bread Flour. Help!
I have a cookie recipe that calls for whole wheat flour and whole wheat pastry flour, I have not seen the pastry flour at any stores I've been to, so I was wondering can I just use ALL whole wheat flour or if I should just use regular all purpose flour instead of the pastry flour??? Any info will be helpful, thanks!
Hi Tina,
You can probably get away with either! The whole wheat pastry flour is likely just of a finer texture, so you could omit it without drasticaly different results. You could also substitute regular pastry flour for the whole wheat pastry flour.
If you want to keep the texture similar, I would substitute equal parts whole wheat flour and all purpose for the whole wheat pastry flour. If you want to keep them all whole wheat for health reasons, I am sure that will work too - although the cookies may have a slightly coarser texture.
Thanks for the coment - and happy baking!
Hi Bron,
I would suspect that Bakers flour is all-purpose. Check the Bread mix, and as long as there are no ingredients listed beyond wheat - then that is surely bread flour!
Thanks, now I know the difference.
I'm trying to make madelines, and need a substitute for cake flour. I know how to substitute with all-purpose flour, but is there any way I can do it with bread flour?
I have celiac disease and cannot have gluten. For recipes that call for cake flour, would a gluten free flour and and glutne free binder work the same
If a bread recipe calls for all purpose flour but I am using bread flour, do I still use the same amount that the recipe calls for?
Thanks
My recipe calls for all purpose flour, but can i substitute bread flour for my chocolate chip cookies? Thanks
Hi Joanne,
You can definately use bread flour for cookies - they just won't be quite as tender as they would be with all purpose - but not a big deal.
Finally, although I figured out through trial and error...by mixing 1/2 all purpose with 1/2 bread flour and soft kneeding, makes for a great pizza dough. I have been experimenting for 8 yrs. Then finally tried different mixtures of flours, kneeding technics, cold water, warm water, sugar proofing, live yeast, dry active etc. I think I have it but welcom your comments. Great hub and thanks.
-Biagio
Quick question: I have a recipe for a pound cake that asks for cake flour in the recipe. Can I substitute with just plain regular All-Purpose flour? Or would that be a bad idea and not turn out as good???
Thanks in advance to whomever helps me out
Hi there!
I'm gna bake Cinnamon Rolls later but my recipe calls for just flour. and i only have Bread flour. Can i use it? And i always am confused, what's the difference between plain flour and all purpose ? What different results do they produce? And which is the best for Cinnamon rolls? (so they turn out soft and fluffy but not too hard)
thanks alot !
For your dumpling lovers whose dumplings fall apart, both in trying to roll them out or cooking them. The Secret for success is the kind of flour used, the kneading process, and rolling them out. I suggest you use an all Purpose plain white flour. Gently mix the flour into warm brouth. Knead the mixture for at least 10-15 minutes(this releases the flour gluten and toughens the mix) until it becomes a silky, elastic, non sticky ball. Rollout dough about 1/8" thin on a floured surface. Cut the rolled out dough in two inch wide strips. Gently remove and drop in boiling brouth. [DO NOT OVER CROWD else the dumplings will stick together] Cook in light boilling brouth about 15 -20 minutes till done. Gently stir dumplings frequently to prevent sticking an or scorching.
Thank you very much for taking the time to share your secrets to great dumplings!
Camille ,
cake flour is very fine low gluten if you substitute you need to subtract 2 TBS all-purpose flour for every cup.
store flour in freezer(or at least a couple hours) to kill any bugs or eggs that may be left.
great article on types of flour. very helpful!
Great information! I have only seen whole wheat pastry flour, but never white pastry flour (in a good number of stores big and small). Is there a reason, or just our local stores don't stock it?
I would like to make my own all-purpose flour by mixing hard wheat flour and soft wheat flour.
Is the ratio 3 parts hard wheat to 1 part soft?
Just wanted to say thank you for the info. I am making a cake using my grandmothers recipe and she has written "cake flour", wasn't sure what the difference would be using my all purpose that I have on hand. She's not with me any more to ask (bless her), so I found you. Grandma's recipe it is then!! Thanks again!
SO, dose it really matter if you use a northern all purpose flower vs a bread flower? I want to make bread!!!! and mi madre keeps telling me you need bread flower.
Leslie, I'm sorry, but I don't know what the specific ratios of hard and soft wheat would be. I suspect they vary considerabley.
Walter, you can certainly use a Northern All-Purpose flour to make bread - don't let the lack of bread flour stop you. Many artisan bread bakers prefer slightly softer wheat than as in bread flour, and the flour used in France for bread is much closer to our Northern All Purpose than our bread flour. Bread flour will give you a better rise though.
Very interesting hub! I've been cooking for years without knowing the difference between the flours. I do wonder, though, why King Arthur flour makes my bread taste more yummy than Pillsbury, and why the no-knead method of bread making works so well?
i have a recipe of chocolate cake that calls for an all purpose flour instead of the cake flour..is there a difference? and what's the difference of the all purpse flour to the unbleached APF? which one is better to use for a cake?
Merlita,
The all purpose flour has more gluten than the cake flour - but both will work for your recipe - use what you have would be my advice. Unbleached flour is always better than bleached flour - unless you really like the look of white white flour and don't mind the taste of bleaching agents!
I would like to make some really crunchy choc chip cookies that does not spread too much and makes it too thin. Does any one knows what's the best best type of flour to use (cake, all purpose or self raising) or the combination of the flours that can product this result? Thank you.
Hi,
is it possible to substitute all purpose flour to wheat flour (says it's for cake and bread) when making brownies? i went to the market to day, and all purpose flour is out of stock, and i just bought the wheat flour one..>,< (the recipe use all purpose)..
thx!! ^^
Hi Novi,
The what flour you bought very likely is all purpose flour - feel free to use it, it should be fine. Best of luck!
Excellent article but, I have a slightly different problem then knowing the difference between them. I noticed a number of people suggested reading the bag.
What if you no longer have the bags? I put my different types of flours (self-rising,all purpose,bread,bread machine) in unmarked containers! Long story but it goes without saying it was not intentional.
Now i have four containers of flour and no idea which is which.
I read somewhere there's a way to tell the difference. I think it involved adding a specific amounts of water/ flour together and observing the reaction/results.
Sound familiar to anyone? Any other ideas?
All help greatly appreciated.
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Debbie Cook says:
2 years ago
I mix flours when I make bread from scratch. I like to use about a third whole wheat flour with my wheat flour. The texture is still soft but the flavor is stronger.