Cake flour and bread flour are both derived from wheat and contain gluten, but they have distinct differences due to their intended uses in baking. Let’s take a closer look at these differences, as they play a significant role in our daily routines, whether we realize it or not.
Cake Flour
Cake flour is specifically designed for making pastries and cakes. It is made from a highly specialized type of wheat flour that has a low gluten content, which is essential for creating light and fluffy baked goods. The flour is made from soft wheat, resulting in a fine texture and high starch content.
Bread Flour
Bread flour has a higher gluten content, around 12-13%. This high concentration of gluten is crucial for bread making, as it allows the dough to capture the gases produced during the cooking and leavening process, helping the bread expand from dense to light. Bread flour is mainly used for bread and pizza crusts, as the extra gluten provides loftiness and chewiness. It is made from an unbleached, high-gluten blend of mostly hard wheat.
Difference between Cake Flour and Bread Flour
The primary distinction between cake flour and bread flour lies in their gluten content, which is affected by the protein content in each type of flour. This, in turn, influences the texture of the baked goods, making them either tough or fluffy. Most people who frequently cook and bake are aware of these differences. Specific recipes call for specific flours for particular reasons, so it’s essential to use the correct flour for each recipe. Bread flour has a fast-rising ability, which is why sandwiches spring back after being pressed. In contrast, the delicate texture of cake flour is due to the bleached wheat it is made from, which has been chemically altered.
However, if you find yourself lacking the necessary flour for a recipe, you can still create a delicious dish by making some adjustments to the ingredients and using a bit of creativity.
Key Takeaways
– Cake flour is made from a highly specialized type of wheat flour with low gluten content, making it ideal for creating light and fluffy pastries and cakes.
– Bread flour has a higher gluten content (12-13%) and is made from an unbleached, high-gluten blend of mostly hard wheat, perfect for bread and pizza crusts.
– The main difference between cake flour and bread flour is their gluten content, which influences the texture of the baked goods, making them either tough or fluffy.
