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Three Ways to Use All-Purpose Flour in Place of Specialty Flours

All-purpose flour can replace several specialty flours with simple adjustments, saving you money and pantry space. A few smart tweaks are all it takes to make it work beautifully in everyday baking.
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Ingredients
  

Instructions
 

To make 1 cup of self-rising flour:

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour1
    ½ teaspoons baking powder
    ¼ teaspoon salt
    Whisk it together thoroughly before using so the baking powder disperses evenly. That’s it — no magic, no mystery.
    How to use it:Use this blend cup-for-cup in recipes that call for self-rising flour, like biscuits, quick breads, or pancakes. Skip any additional salt or leavening the recipe calls for — you’ve already got it handled.

To make a bread flour substitute:

  • For every 1 cup of bread flour, use:
    1 cup all-purpose flour
    1 teaspoon vital wheat gluten (if you have it)
    If you don’t have gluten on hand, just use straight all-purpose flour. Your bread may be slightly softer and less chewy, but still delicious — especially for dinner rolls or sandwich loaves.

To make 1 cup of cake flour:

  • Measure 1 cup all-purpose flour
    Remove 2 tablespoons of the flour
    Add 2 tablespoons cornstarch (or arrowroot powder)
    Sift the blend 2–3 times to aerate it and mimic that super-fine cake flour texture.
    How to use it:Swap cup-for-cup in recipes calling for cake flour — cupcakes, sponge cakes, pound cakes, and even soft sugar cookies. You’ll get that delicate crumb and lighter mouthfeel without stocking a separate bag of flour.