Cake Flour Cup to Gram Calculator - Why Your Cakes Are Dense

Welcome! Let's measure your cake flour perfectly! 🎀

How much cups do you have?

You can use fractions like 1/2 or 3/4!

equals
115g
Perfect! ✓

This can change the weight by 20%!

Different brands vary slightly

Popular amounts to convert:

Cake Flour

Low protein = tender, fluffy crumb 🎂

Protein:7-9%
Perfect for:cakes

💡 Technique: Fold gently like you're tucking in a cloud

Quick Reference for Cake Flour

Volume to Weight

  • 1/4 cup = 29g (1.0 oz)
  • 1/3 cup = 38g (1.4 oz)
  • 1/2 cup = 58g (2.0 oz)
  • 1 cup = 115g (4.1 oz)

Common Weights

  • 100g = 0.87 cups
  • 200g = 1.74 cups
  • 250g = 2.17 cups
  • 500g = 4.35 cups

Ounce Reference

  • 1 oz = 28.35g
  • 4 oz = 113g = 0.98 cups
  • 8 oz = 227g = 1.97 cups
  • 16 oz (1 lb) = 454g = 3.95 cups

Why measuring method matters: Scooped flour can be up to 20% heavier than spooned & leveled flour! For best results, always use the method your recipe specifies. When in doubt, spoon & level is safest. 💕

💡 Pro Tip: Always weigh your flour for the most accurate results! A kitchen scale is a baker's best friend. Happy baking! 🎂

🎂 Same Recipe, Different Flours - See The Shocking Difference

😢

Bread Flour

130g/cup
Dense, chewy cake
14% protein = tough gluten
🙂

All-Purpose

125g/cup
Okay texture
10-12% protein = moderate
😍

Cake Flour

114g/cup
Fluffy, tender, perfect!
7-9% protein = minimal gluten

Industry Standard

1 cup = 114g

Most recipes use this

Swans Down

1 cup = 113g

Premium brand

Softasilk

1 cup = 117g

Grocery store favorite

🍰 Quick Cake Flour Conversions (Most Used)

🔬 The Cake Texture Science Lab

Protein Content = Texture

🎂

Cake Flour (7-9% protein)

Tender, fluffy, melts in mouth

🥖

All-Purpose (10-12% protein)

Slightly dense, okay crumb

🍞

Bread Flour (12-14% protein)

Chewy, tough, bread-like

Brand Comparison Chart

Swans Down
7.5% 113g/cup
Softasilk
8.0% 117g/cup
King Arthur
9.0% 120g/cup
Generic/Store
8.5% 114g/cup

💡 Lower protein = more tender cakes

🌾 Compare with other flours: Complete Flour Comparison Tool | Bread Flour Calculator

🧪 Make Your Own Cake Flour (Emergency Hack)

The Famous 2-Ingredient Formula

1 Cup Cake Flour =

1 cup - 2 Tbsp

All-Purpose Flour

(106g)

+

2 Tablespoons

Cornstarch

(8g)

✅ How It Works

Cornstarch has zero protein, diluting the AP flour's protein from 10-12% down to ~8-9%, mimicking cake flour's low protein content.

⚠️ Important Notes

  • • Sift 5 times for best results
  • • Works for most cakes
  • • Not ideal for angel food cake

Batch DIY Conversion Chart

Need AP Flour Remove Add Cornstarch Final Weight
1/2 cup cake flour 1/2 cup 1 Tbsp 1 Tbsp 57g
1 cup cake flour 1 cup 2 Tbsp 2 Tbsp 114g
2 cups cake flour ⭐ 2 cups 4 Tbsp 4 Tbsp 228g
2.5 cups cake flour 2.5 cups 5 Tbsp 5 Tbsp 285g
3 cups cake flour 3 cups 6 Tbsp 6 Tbsp 342g

🍰 Which Cakes NEED Cake Flour?

✅ MUST Use Cake Flour

  • ✓
    Angel Food Cake

    Needs ultra-tender structure

  • ✓
    Chiffon Cake

    Light, airy texture essential

  • ✓
    Red Velvet

    Signature tender crumb

  • ✓
    Japanese Cheesecake

    Cotton-soft texture

👍 Better With Cake Flour

  • •
    Layer Cakes

    Softer, more professional

  • •
    Cupcakes

    Lighter texture

  • •
    Pound Cake

    More delicate crumb

  • •
    Sponge Cakes

    Better rise & texture

❌ Skip Cake Flour

  • ×
    Carrot Cake

    Needs more structure

  • ×
    Banana Bread

    AP flour is perfect

  • ×
    Brownies

    Want denser texture

  • ×
    Cookies

    Need chew & structure

🏥 Cake Emergency Room - Fix Your Failures

Problem: Cake Collapsed in Center

🔍 Diagnosis:

  • • Used wrong flour (too much protein)
  • • Over-mixed batter (developed gluten)
  • • Too much leavening

💊 Treatment:

  • • Use cake flour (114g per cup)
  • • Mix just until combined
  • • Check baking powder freshness

Problem: Dry, Crumbly Texture

🔍 Diagnosis:

  • • Too much flour (packed cups)
  • • Overbaked
  • • Wrong flour type

💊 Treatment:

  • • Weigh flour: exactly 114g/cup
  • • Reduce baking time by 2-3 min
  • • Add simple syrup after baking

Problem: Dense, Heavy Cake

🔍 Diagnosis:

  • • Used AP or bread flour
  • • Under-creamed butter
  • • Cold ingredients

💊 Treatment:

  • • Switch to cake flour
  • • Cream butter 3-5 minutes
  • • Room temp ingredients only

🔧 More Baking Tools: Need temperature conversions? Check our temperature converter. Scaling recipes? Use our baker's percentage calculator.

📊 Complete Cake Flour Conversion Chart

Amount Weight in Grams by Brand Common Use
Standard Swans Down Softasilk King Arthur
1/4 cup 29g 28g 29g 30g Dusting, small batch
1/3 cup 38g 38g 39g 40g Single cupcake
1/2 cup 57g 57g 59g 60g Small cake layer
2/3 cup 76g 75g 78g 80g 6" round cake
3/4 cup 86g 85g 88g 90g Half batch cupcakes
1 cup ⭐ 114g 113g 117g 120g Base measurement
1 1/4 cups 143g 141g 146g 150g 8" single layer
1 1/2 cups 171g 170g 176g 180g 9" single layer
2 cups ⭐ 228g 226g 234g 240g Standard layer cake
2 1/4 cups 257g 254g 263g 270g Bundt cake
2 1/2 cups 285g 283g 293g 300g Two 8" layers
3 cups ⭐ 342g 339g 351g 360g Three-layer cake

📏 Why Weight Matters

  • • Cake flour is super light and fluffy
  • • Easy to pack accidentally (adds 20%!)
  • • Sifting changes volume dramatically

👑 Why Swans Down is Special

  • • Bleached & ultra-fine milled
  • • Lowest protein (7.5%)
  • • Most tender results

🎯 Critical: How to Mix Cake Flour Properly

⚠️ WARNING: Cake flour is NOT like other flours!

Mix wrong = tough cake (defeats the whole purpose)

✅ DO THIS

  1. 1. Sift cake flour 2-3 times before measuring
  2. 2. Fold in gently with rubber spatula
  3. 3. Mix JUST until no flour streaks
  4. 4. Stop immediately when combined
  5. 5. Use lowest mixer speed if using electric

❌ NEVER DO THIS

  • • Beat vigorously (develops gluten)
  • • Use high mixer speed
  • • Mix for "2 minutes" like box says
  • • Keep mixing for smooth batter
  • • Use bread dough technique

💡 Pro Secret: Slightly lumpy batter = tender cake. Smooth batter = tough cake!

❓ Frequently Asked Cake Flour Questions

Can I use cake flour for everything instead of all-purpose?

No, cake flour lacks the protein needed for many recipes:

  • Bread: Will be flat and won't rise properly
  • Pizza dough: Won't stretch, will tear
  • Cookies: Too soft, won't hold shape
  • Pie crust: Too tender, will fall apart

Cake flour is ONLY for tender baked goods like cakes, some muffins, and delicate pastries.

Why is my cake still dense even with cake flour?

Common reasons for dense cakes despite using cake flour:

  • Over-mixing: Developed gluten anyway (most common!)
  • Wrong measurement: Packed cups = too much flour
  • Old leavening: Baking powder loses power after 6 months
  • Cold ingredients: Prevented proper emulsification
  • Wrong ratio: Too much flour relative to fat/liquid

Solution: Weigh flour (114g/cup), mix minimally, check baking powder date.

Is self-rising flour the same as cake flour?

No, they're completely different:

Cake Flour:

  • • Low protein (7-9%)
  • • No leavening added
  • • For tender texture

Self-Rising:

  • • Medium protein (9-10%)
  • • Has baking powder & salt
  • • For convenience

Never substitute one for the other without adjusting leavening!

Should I buy cake flour or make my own substitute?

Depends on your baking frequency:

  • Buy if: You bake cakes monthly, want consistent results, make angel food cake
  • DIY if: Occasional baker, emergency substitution, testing recipes

The cornstarch substitute works for 90% of cakes but won't give quite the same professional texture as real cake flour.

Cost: ~$3-4/box vs pennies for DIY version.

Does cake flour expire? How should I store it?

Yes, cake flour expires faster than AP flour due to bleaching:

  • Shelf life: 8 months (vs 12 for AP flour)
  • Storage: Airtight container, cool, dry place
  • Freezer: Up to 2 years (bring to room temp before using)
  • Signs it's bad: Musty smell, yellowish color, bugs

Pro tip: Write the date on the container when you open it!

🤫 Professional Baker Secrets

The "Cake Flour Hack" Pros Use

Double Sifting Method:

  1. 1. Sift cake flour into bowl
  2. 2. Measure needed amount
  3. 3. Sift AGAIN with dry ingredients

Result: 30% more volume, incredibly tender crumb

The "Reverse Creaming" Secret

For ultra-tender cakes with cake flour:

  1. 1. Mix cake flour + sugar first
  2. 2. Add soft butter, mix 1 min
  3. 3. Add liquids in 3 parts

Coats flour proteins, prevents gluten formation

🎂 Perfect Cakes Start Here!

Stop guessing measurements! Get exact cake flour conversions for Swans Down, Softasilk, and more. Our calculator handles cups to grams instantly with brand-specific accuracy.

Use the Calculator ↑

📊 Join 10,000+ home bakers

🎯 Getting tender cakes every time

Complete Your Baking Toolkit

🌾 All Flour Types 🥖 Bread Flour 🍪 All-Purpose Flour 🍬 Sugar Converter 🧈 Butter Calculator ⚗️ Leavening Converter 🌡️ Temperature Convert 📊 All Converters

Baking Clinic

Problem: Cake Collapsed in Center

Diagnosis: Wrong flour type (too much protein), over-mixed batter, or too much leavening

Solution: Use cake flour (114g/cup), mix just until combined, check baking powder freshness

Problem: Dry, Crumbly Texture

Diagnosis: Too much flour (packed cups), overbaked, or wrong flour type

Solution: Weigh flour exactly (114g/cup), reduce baking time by 2-3 minutes, add simple syrup

Problem: Dense, Heavy Cake

Diagnosis: Used AP or bread flour, under-creamed butter, or cold ingredients

Solution: Switch to cake flour, cream butter 3-5 minutes, use room temperature ingredients

Problem: Tough, Chewy Texture

Diagnosis: Over-mixed batter developing gluten despite low-protein flour

Solution: Mix on lowest speed, stop immediately when combined, fold by hand when possible

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I use cake flour for everything instead of all-purpose?

A: No, cake flour lacks protein for structure. Bread will be flat, pizza dough won't stretch, cookies won't hold shape, and pie crust will fall apart. Use cake flour ONLY for tender baked goods like cakes and delicate pastries.

Q: Why is my cake still dense even with cake flour?

A: Common reasons: Over-mixing (develops gluten anyway), wrong measurement (packed cups), old leavening agents, cold ingredients, or wrong flour-to-liquid ratio. Solution: Weigh flour (114g/cup), mix minimally, check baking powder date.

Q: Is self-rising flour the same as cake flour?

A: No, completely different. Cake flour: 7-9% protein, no leavening. Self-rising: 9-10% protein with baking powder and salt. Never substitute without adjusting leavening agents.

Q: Should I buy cake flour or make my own substitute?

A: Buy if you bake cakes monthly or want consistent results. DIY (AP flour + cornstarch) works for 90% of cakes but won't match professional texture. Cost: $3-4/box vs pennies for DIY.

Q: Does cake flour expire? How should I store it?

A: Yes, expires faster than AP flour (8 months vs 12). Store in airtight container, cool and dry. Freezer extends to 2 years. Bad signs: musty smell, yellowish color, bugs. Write open date on container!