Store your flours properly. Both cake and all-purpose flour go stale in heat, light, and air. Keep them in an airtight container in a cool, dark cupboard—or better yet, the freezer. Flour can live in the freezer for up to two years without losing its mojo.
How Is Cake Flour Different From All Purpose Flour - Baskett Peaced1970
Pro tip: Always weigh your flour if you can. A cup of all-purpose flour can weigh between 120 and 150 grams depending on how you scoop it. That margin of error is the difference between a dreamy layered cake and a doorstop.
Don’t forget about sifting. Cake flour is already fine, but sifting it (even twice) incorporates air and breaks up clumps. For all-purpose, sifting is only necessary if your recipe demands it—or if you’re feeling fancy.
The “One-Bag” Life Hack
If you only want to buy one flour for most things, make it a quality all-purpose flour (like King Arthur or Bob’s Red Mill). Then keep a small box of cake flour for special projects. It’s a minimal investment for maximum reward.
Fun fact: The iconic American “Duncan Hines” cake mixes use cake flour as a base. That’s why box mix cakes always taste so light. You can mimic that at home by swapping half the all-purpose for cake flour in your favorite yellow cake recipe.
