Can You Use Bread Flour To Make Cake?

Have you ever found yourself in the middle of baking a cake only to realize that you’re out of all-purpose flour? 

Panic sets in as you wonder if you can substitute it with another type of flour, such as bread flour. Well, fear not because we’re here to answer the burning question, “Can you use bread flour to make a cake?” 

Bread flour is a popular type of flour that is typically used for making bread, pizza dough, and other baked goods that require a chewy texture. But can it be used for cakes? 

Today we’ll dive into the world of flour and explore whether or not bread flour is a suitable alternative to all-purpose flour when making a cake. So, let’s get started and find out!

Can You Use Bread Flour For Cakes?

You can use bread flour to make cakes, but the texture might not be as you would like. To put it simply, bread flour is flour with a higher protein content, 11-13%, than other flour. Due to its higher protein content, bread flour produces more gluten, which gives it a chewy texture.

By itself, this suggests that bread flour may not be the best ingredient for a cake recipe. It is important to know that as a flour’s protein level increases, more gluten is produced, making it chewier.

This means that the flour suitable for your recipe will be entirely determined by how you make it and how you want it to turn out.

Why Is Bread Flour Not Suitable For Cake?

A cake requires finer-milled flour than bread flour. The more finely milled the flour, the lower the protein content. Your cake will be much lighter and less dense this way, which is definitely more appealing.

Using bread flour in the cake as a substitute for flour is acceptable if you are out of flour and can’t get any but be aware that the texture may not be as light and crumbly as you would like. 

Avoid overworking your batter when using bread flour as a substitute to avoid a heavier cake result since this will increase gluten production. It is important to mix the ingredients as lightly as possible and only enough to incorporate all of them.

When all else fails, you can still make an edible cake with bread flour, such as this recipe that holds up to the denser texture bread flour can impart.

What Will Happen If I Use Bread Flour To Make Cake?

Making cake with bread flour is possible even if it doesn’t seem like a good fit. Using it wouldn’t prevent you from making a cake. Simply put, it will have a different texture and taste.

A cake-like treat made with bread flour will not be as soft as one made with cake flour. In addition, it will be denser and chewier. It may not necessarily be a bad thing depending on what you want to accomplish.

It will be an experiment to use bread flour to make a cake. There is a possibility that you will get something that you would not recognize as a cake or baked good. Nevertheless, it could work out well!

What Is The Difference Between Bread Flour And Cake Flour?

AP flour, or all-purpose flour, is the most versatile type of flour. Its protein content falls in the middle range among other proteins. Its level is higher or lower than other types of flour. 

It is primarily the protein content of bread flour that differentiates it from cake flour. In the presence of water, proteins (glutenin and gliadin) are converted into gluten. Gluten will be produced in higher proportions when protein content is high.

A bread flour’s protein content is between 11-15%, making it one of the highest among all types of flour. This makes it better suited for baked goods requiring more structure.

In contrast, cake flour has the lowest protein content among all flour types. Its protein content is around 7-9%, making it a good choice for light and airy baked goods.

The hard wheat flour that is used for breads is called bread flour, while the soft wheat flour is called cake flour. Protein levels in soft wheat are lower than those in hard wheat. This is why it produces cakes that have a lighter texture than bread does.

A difference can also be seen in the fineness of the mill. Compared to bread flour, cake flour is milled finer. A finer mill facilitates the incorporation of the flour with the wet ingredients.

The Best Flour For Cake – In My Order Of Preference

Everything can be made with all-purpose flour or AP flour. As far as the other types of flour are concerned, cake flour and bread flour both have their own respective uses. How about switching the flour? Do you think it will work? And what are your options? Let’s find out.

Cake Flour

It is the only type of flour that is specifically designed for baking delicate cakes when the only objective is to achieve that awe-inspiring light texture!

In addition to being finely milled, cake flour has a silky texture in its bag (which makes it a delight to handle!).

Because it has a naturally low protein content, the final cake is smooth, light, and melt-in-your-mouth. How awesome does that sound?!

When it comes to the question of, “Can I use bread flour for making a cake? While you can use bread flour for baking, it should only be used in extreme situations.

If you need to make a cake in an emergency, you can use bread flour. The cake will not be inedible. The higher proportion of protein in bread flour may nevertheless result in a dense texture and heavier than anticipated. Using bread flour specifically can, however, produce great results for some cakes!

However, if you are looking for a cake texture that melts and crumbles, there are more suitable flour options that are designed to provide a much lighter and tender texture to the cake, which is what we all seek.

Cake flour is the ultimate flour for the most desirable, perfectly fluffy cake! All-purpose flour makes light and fluffy cakes well, but cake flour makes them extra fluffy!

Plain Flour (All-Purpose Flour)

All-purpose flour or plain flour is the most versatile flour, and it’s always a good idea to keep it around! It is a staple in my pantry and can be used for everything!

Cakes made from all-purpose flour can have a beautifully light and crumbly texture due to its protein content between 10-12%. However, this versatile ingredient can also be used to make a chewy cookie or flaky pastry!

Self-Rising Flour

A self-rising flour has salt and baking powder added during the milling process, making it a great flour for making a cake rise evenly without adding extra leavening agents.

In self-rising flour, there is an average protein content of 8-11%. We, bakers, need this bread because it produces beautifully risen cakes every time (guaranteed! ), with a light and crumbly texture that melts in the mouth.

Can I Turn Bread Flour Into Cake Flour?

In case you don’t have a choice, you can substitute bread flour for cake flour after adding cornstarch. A ‘dilution process occurs in the bread flour’s protein content when cornstarch is added. The result will be a lighter cake that’s closer to cake flour or pastry flour due to its reduced gluten development.

You can make all-purpose flour by combining 1 cup of bread flour with 3 tablespoons of cornstarch. This is a pretty straightforward process. Mix the flour with the cornstarch in a bowl. 

Before making your dough, pass your mix through a fine-mesh strainer once or twice to get rid of any lumps. The key is not overmixing it to avoid building up gluten that will become chewy when baked.

Can You Use Bread Flour Instead Of Plain Flour For Baking?

What type of baked good you’re baking will determine how negatively bread flour impacts it. It is possible to substitute bread flour for plain flour when baking, but the texture may differ. There will be an increase in the density and chewiness of cake, cupcakes, and pastries.

Conclusion

While using bread flour to make a cake is possible, it may not always be the best choice. Bread flour has a higher protein content than all-purpose flour, which can lead to a denser and chewier texture in cakes. 

However, if you’re in a pinch and don’t have any all-purpose flour on hand, bread flour can get the job done. Just remember that the resulting cake may have a slightly different texture and taste than you’re used to. 

Ultimately, the choice is yours; experimentation is always encouraged in the kitchen. So, go ahead and give it a try – who knows, you may just discover a new favorite recipe!