Flours: Make your own cake, self rising and bread flours.

Who knew you could make your own cake flour, self rising flour and bread flour from all purpose flour?  These are easy substitutions and a fraction of the cost of buying specialty flours.


Cake Flour
for each cup of all purpose flour used, remove 2 Tbsp all purpose flour and replace it with 2 Tbsp corn starch
*SIFT WELL ~ sift corn starch and all purpose flour five times to create well incorporated and airy flour
*example: recipe calls for 3 cups cake flour; measure out 3 cups of all purpose flour, remove 6 tablespoons all purpose flour and add 6 tablespoons of corn starch instead.  Sift five times.


Self Rising Flour
for each cup of  all purpose flour, add 1 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt.  SIFT WELL.  1/2 tsp cream of tartar may be added for a lighter texture...like for a cupcake recipe
*if you do use self rising flour in place of all purpose flour in a recipe, it's important to omit the extra salt and baking powder called for in the recipe (your self rising flour has included it already and that would be adding it twice)


Bread Flour
for every cup of all purpose flour in the recipe, add 1 Tbsp Vital Wheat Gluten.
*it is not necessary to do any special sifting, mix into dry ingredients as you would any other dry ingredients.  Vital Wheat Gluten contains added protein to help breads bake consistently higher and have a softer texture.  You can find vital wheat gluten in the flour isle and it's generally sold in small quantities (around 6 ounces).  Refrigerate after opening.