c. flour

Cake flour is a finely milled, soft wheat flour with a lower protein content (7-8%) than all-purpose flour, distinguished by its fine, powdery texture and bleached appearance. Produced from soft wheat varieties, cake flour is milled to an exceptionally fine consistency and often chemically bleached or chlorinated to enhance its ability to absorb moisture and fats. This processing weakens gluten development, producing tender crumbs and a delicate, moist structure characteristic of high-quality cakes. The flour's lower protein content combined with its fine particles creates an ideal structure for light, airy batters that yield soft, velvety cake textures.

Cake flour is the preferred flour for baking tender cakes, cupcakes, and delicate pastries where a fine, moist crumb is essential. It produces superior results in layer cakes, angel food cakes, chiffon cakes, and refined butter cakes compared to all-purpose flour. The low protein content minimizes gluten formation, preventing dense, tough cakes. Cake flour also serves as an ingredient in some biscuit and pastry recipes where tenderness is prioritized. While primarily used in sweet applications, it can be blended with all-purpose flour for applications requiring moderate structure.