I use this gluten free cake flour blend for all of my cakes and muffins, now. Regular cake flour contains a little less protein than typical all-purpose flour and a tiny bit more than pastry flour. Therefore, in this gluten free cake flour blend, I suggest a couple of flours which contain about the same amount of protein as the other, sorghum and oat flour, depending upon the brand you use. My oat flour contains more protein than sorghum flour, and many individuals with celiac disease and gluten-intolerance cannot consume any oat flour, including gluten free oats. Other brands are the complete opposite. You should be able to use either, though I used sorghum for less protein.
Typically, a gluten free pastry flour will only contain potato starch, therefore, to lower the protein level I added just a bit in this gluten free cake flour blend, I substituted a little of the potato starch for tapioca flour/starch, which does not contain any protein at all. The lower protein level provides a softer texture for cakes, muffins, etc., compared to the chewiness you would want in a bread. A gluten-free pastry flour blend may only contain white rice flour, but with only an additional gram of protein, per serving, I found that adding a bit of brown rice flour a healthy choice, while still making a perfect gluten free cake flour blend. Regular gluten cake flour contains about 8% to 10% protein, versus 5% to 8% in pastry flour. In gluten-free baking we need more.
I’m sure it would be easy to find a gluten free recipe which calls for your typical rice flours. However, the use of superfine white and brown rice flours will improve gluten free baked goods. It’s use improves texture, and avoids any grittiness. Now, let them eat cake, that’s great!
Note: See all recipes on this site using this gluten free flour blend at the bottom of this page.
You may find superfine white and brown rice flour at Authentic Foods online. If you do not have access to purchasing online, or the funds, as it costs more than regular rice flour, you can try grinding regular rice flour in a coffee grinder which will make it fine, not superfine, or better yet a mill grinder on the fine setting.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/4 cup _superfine_ white rice flour (I use Authentic Foods brand.)
- 3/4 cup potato starch
- 1/2 cup sorghum or oat flour
- 1/4 cup _superfine_ brown rice flour (or more superfine white rice flour)
- 1/4 cup tapioca starch
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda (for Hershey's chocolate cake use 2)
- 2 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder* (I use Rumford's.)
- 2 teaspoons xanthan gum (or guar gum for corn-free)
Instructions:
- Mix all ingredients well by whisking and shaking. For best results sift together one to two times.
Tips
If you are making a yellow or white cake you may consider using more white rice flour in place of the brown rice flour, as the mix above makes it a tiny bit brown. Though sorghum is a bit on the brown side, this recipe uses very little and does not effect the yellow color of cake. If using this gluten free cake flour blend to substitute regular all-purpose flour in a recipe I suggest baking at 350°F, no matter what the recipe calls for, and adding a bit more fat: oil, butter, etc.
Did you know?
Did you know that sorghum flour is digested slower then many other flours, making it a great choice for diabetics?
Recipes using Carla’s Gluten-Free Cake Flour Blend:
Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake Recipe
Gluten-Free Banana Bread Recipe
Gluten-Free Zucchini Bread Recipe
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread Recipe
Gooey Gluten-Free Brownie Recipe: Sweetened with Brown Rice Syrup
Gluten-Free Yellow Cake Recipe
Gluten-Free Boston Cream Pie Recipe
Gluten-Free Coffee Cake Recipe
Corn Free Gluten Free Sweet Potato Spoon Bread
Gluten Free Cinnamon Banana Muffins
Gluten Free Cornbread – Cranberry Polenta Bread
Golden Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Bundt Cake
Gluten Free German Chocolate Cake
Hi Carla,
I’m allergic to wheat and corn. I’ve noticed sourgum flour in a lot of recipes. I’m not sure what its made from. I know it wheat free but does it cantain corn or corn derivatives?
Hi Yvette,
Sorghum is a grain. It is not related to wheat or corn. It is completely gluten-free. I hope this helps.
Meanwhile, if you can purchase Authentic Foods “superfine” white and/or brown rice flour (available online and in my Store), I currently use my Gluten Free All Purpose Flour Blend Recipe + about 2 Tablespoons extra butter, oil or shortening in recipes. Here’s the link to that flour blend recipe: http://glutenfreerecipebox.com/gluten-free-all-purpose-flour-blend. You make the mix as instructed and then add additional fat to a regular, gluten recipe. It works about 95% of the time.
Carla
This is a nice blend! I’ve used it to make Carla’s banana bread & her carrot cake & both tasted wonderful!
Carla,
I appreciate all the recipes. I used the cake flour recipe to make one of my favorite deserts. At first bite it tasted like I remember but it left an after taste. Any idea what I might have not done right?
Hi Rick,
I have never had this flour blend be bitter. Your flour may be bad. I have kept brown rice flour too long, and it turns bitter. Check the expiration date on your flour. Also, brown rice flour, more than white rice flour should be refrigerated. Other than that, I would need to see the recipe. Why don’t you email it to me, with the instructions: http://glutenfreerecipebox.com/contact.
Carla
Hi Carla – Thanks for sharing your recipe for the gluten-free cake flour blend. Can you include the weight measurements (grams) in each of the ingredient listed? That’ll be very helpful as I noticed that my own measurement per cup of flour by weight can differ from someone else’s drastically. Just want to make sure I get the same great result as yours. Thanks!
Hi Claire,
Next time I make a batch I’ll be sure to do that.
Carla
Hi Carla,
Just wondering, when you substitute this for regular cake flour, do you still add baking powder or baking soda if called for in the recipe? Thanks! (I’m making a wedding cake for a friend and she’s gluten-free)
Hi Stephanie,
No. You do not add additional baking soda or baking powder. Since it’s a wedding cake, definitely try a smaller one out first. Good luck and enjoy!
Carla
Thanks! And you can just substitute this mixture for the same amount of cake flour? Definitely trying this on a small scale first.
Stephanie,
It has worked for most recipes for me. Adding a bit more butter, oil or egg yolk helps create less of a crumb. What I mean by crumb can be viewed in my carrot cake recipe. Next time I make it I’ll be using a bit more fat content, as I suggest above. Here’s the link to the carrot cake recipe: http://glutenfreerecipebox.com/gluten-free-carrot-cake-2
And I’m glad to hear you’ll be experimenting first. Not everyone does that.
Carla
Hi Carla,
I am a 9 days into my family being gluten free and need to make a cake for my 5 years birthday. Is the GF Chocolate Cake grainy? or is it smooth? If I am unable to find the superfine rice flour how could I get the regular rice flour thinner? Any suggestions would be great!
Thanks
Hi Sonja,
What a great Mom, you are!
I get my superfine flours online from Authentic Foods: http://authenticfoods.com/products. The use of superfine rice flours prevents all graininess. I have tried grinding regular white rice flour in a food processor and it still was grainy, and did not make it much finer.
I haven’t tried it, but perhaps using Carol’s gluten-free all purpose flour may work (haven’t tried it): http://glutenfreerecipebox.com/sorghum-flour-blend
Good luck and let us all know how it turns out!
Carla
Hi Carla,
I made your gluten free sandwich bread using sorghum flour (son is allergic to oat) and replaced the potato starch(son allergic to potato) with arrowroot. Finally a wonderful bread. It did fall a little bit while cooling. Thank you so much! My son is also allergic to rice. Is there a good replacement for rice flour in your cake flour blend?
Hi Shelley,
So happy the bread turned out well for you.
I have not tried another cake flour blend, but you may wish to try Carol Fenster’s gluten free flour blend: http://glutenfreerecipebox.com/sorghum-flour-blend In some her recipes she adds more potato starch, etc. and in others she does not. I’d give it a try.
Carla
This website is a Godsend! Thank you so much! I am new to gluten free and was so sad until I found your website. Now I can enjoy food again! Cake again! Pancakes again! etc. Thank you soooo very much! God bless you!
You are so very welcome, Kelly! Are you using the superfine rice flours?