I am making the chocolate butter cake from TCB wedding section and I didn’t realize that I do not have enough cake flour for my cakes. 10 inch 7 inch. 

I have read Rose’s posting on the power of flour but I am still a little confused as to what I should do?
a.  add cornstarch
b.  add potato starch
c.  decrease the baking powder

My last batch of cake flour came from King Arthur ( had to order it online from Canada )  But I won’t be able to order it
in time for my cakes.  I do have Robin Hood Cake and Pastry flour which is 10% protein, higher than King Arthur’s cake flour.

Any help would be most appreciated.

Hi, Liza!

I was out of cake flour some time ago and used UNBLEACHED AP flour and the creaming method on Rose’s coconut cake —there’s some notes in my initial entry on what I’d do next time to avoid the birdbath dip I got.  (http://www.realbakingwithrose.com/index_ee.php/forums/viewthread/3054/)  It had an old-fashioned homemade texture—i.e., super-moist texture but a larger crumb.  I quite liked it, actually.

If you are going to use BLEACHED A/P flour, I think you are fine with no modification, as far as I can remember.

Hope this is helpful!

—ak

Hi Liza,

I’m not sure where you are in Canada—but I’ve been able to find Swan’s Down flour at Sobey’s and Safeway in the past.  I find more consistent results than using the Robin Hood Cake and Pastry.  I’m in Saskatchewan, so I don’t know if it’s carried across the country or not.

Hi Liza,

If you’re in the greater Toronto area or just beyond, Highland Farms (Mississauga, Vaughan etc) carries Swan’s Down. I would also agree with Sherrie regarding Robinhood cake & pastry, the flour I used to use for Rose’s cakes until I found a source for the Swan’s Down.

Thanks so much everyone.

I called Highland Farms in Mississauga this afternoon and they do carry Swan’s Down.  It is about a 45 minute drive for me, so that’s where I am headed tomorrow morning.  The cake isn’t due till friday evening so I will have lots of time to bake if I get it tommorrow. 

I have used swans down in the past and was very pleased with it.  I found it at Sobey’s, unfortunately it was in Prince Edward Island while I was visiting my family.  I brought it back in my suitcase and had to pay extra because my suitcase was over the weight limit. 

But I guess PEI is a little far to go before Friday. 

Liza, bleached cake flour probably is worth picking up, it gives the most rise plus a delicate, fine and tender texture. 

If you need to sub AP flour, a bleached AP can be subbed (by weight) without changes, but the cake will be a little denser/shorter rising, and firmer to eat (less tender and maybe just a tad “gummy” in mouthfeel).  To counteract the higher protein, you can sub corn or potato starch for part of the flour, and all should be well.  I’ll go check the power of flour posts, but I think the leavening changes were for unbleached flour, rather than bleached.

When I plan to syrup a butter cake, I almost always use bleached AP, there’s something about syruping a cake flour cake that isn’t quite right for me.

Well, my trip to Highland Farms didn’t work out as planned.  I forgot I had a doctor’s appointment so I could not go.  I did manage to get some potato startch, so I will try that.  Hopefully it will work out ok.