# cake flour conversion



## pastrycake (Sep 11, 2005)

Hi 

I am planning to make shortbread cookies. They are quite tasty compared to regular sugar cookies. It calls for 2 pounds ( 1 box) and 3 cups of cake flour. I forgot to buy some and only have about half a box left.

Can I substitute the rest with all purpose flour? If so, what is the conversion? Will it change the texture that much? The recipe also has 1 pound of butter and just 1 egg etc.


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## elfin (Oct 29, 2007)

Cake flour has the least amount of gluten-forming proteins... probably your shortbread will turn out ok if you use AP but will not be as soft and crumbly as the recipe intends.

I think the texture differences between cake/pastry/AP/bread and especially hi-gluten are absolutely dramatic... but with something like a shortbread, you should be ok.

As far as I know, there is no conversion required... just substitute flour pound for pound and the only difference is the resulting texture.


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## bettyr (Feb 18, 2007)

My 1952 edition Better Homes and Gardens cookbook (my favorite cookbook) says that if your making an emergency sub of all-purpose flour for cake flour to sift the AP flour 4 times then carefully spoon the flour into your measuring cup, then carefully remove 2 tablespoons for each cup of flour.


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## pjm333 (Nov 6, 2001)

for 3 Cups of cake flour you can sub,
1 1/2 C A.P. flour & 
1 1/2 C Cornstarch sifted..


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