Homemade Cake and Pastry Flour Using Freshly Milled Flour

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Homemade cake and pastry flour from freshly milled flour is my go-to for baking soft, fluffy cakes and golden, tender pastries. Instead of relying on regular flour from the grocery store, I blend whole wheat flour with a lower protein content to help reduce gluten formation and create that light, delicate crumb. Whether you’re making a white cake, carrot cake, or even an angel food cake, this DIY flour gives you homemade results that feel bakery-style, without the bleach.

When I bake cakes and pastries , I always reach for soft wheat flour—either soft white or soft red wheat, depending on what I’m making. Soft white wheat gives a clean, light flavor that lets fillings or frostings shine, while soft red wheat adds a warm, nutty depth perfect for galettes or pastries.

It’s my go-to for creating homemade cake and pastry flour from freshly milled grains, giving me a soft, tender crumb that rivals anything store-bought. I always sift the flour, sometimes twice, to remove the bran and help achieve that delicate texture.

If I want to mimic commercial cake flour, I swap out 1–2 tablespoons per cup with non-GMO cornstarch, or occasionally use tapioca starch—though arrowroot doesn’t perform quite the same.

Honestly, most of the time, soft wheat alone gives me exactly what I need for light and fluffy bakes. I currently buy my soft red wheat from Bread Beckers in Georgia.

Once I blend the flour, I store it in an airtight container, place it in the freezer, and use it within 3 months or use it immediately after I let it cool in the refrigerator or freezer for 30 minutes. So it’s ready for cozy recipes whenever inspiration strikes.

Why You’ll Love Cake and Pastry Flour Using Freshly Milled Flour

• Tender Texture – Soft wheat’s lower protein content leads to less gluten formation, giving your bakes that melt-in-your-mouth crumb we all love. It’s especially noticeable in fluffy cakes and delicate pastries.
• Reliable Results – Whether you’re making white cake, chocolate cake, or testing new recipes, freshly milled blends produce a consistent, tender finish every time. No guesswork—just dependable, bakery-quality results from your own kitchen.
• Simple Ingredients – You only need soft wheat flour and a few tablespoons of cornstarch to make your own cake flour substitute. It’s a smart way to skip the additives in bleached flour or boxed cake flour from the grocery store.
• Customizable Blends – Depending on the type of flour and the final texture you want, it’s easy to adjust your ratios. Lighter for angel food cake or richer for a moist carrot cake, you’re in full control of the finished product.

What Is Pastry Flour Using Freshly Milled Flour?

Pastry flour made from freshly milled soft wheat is a low protein flour that fits perfectly between cake flour and all-purpose. This type of flour is usually milled from soft white wheat or softer wheat varieties, delivering a mild flavor and soft texture—perfect for cookies, biscuits, quick breads, and other tender pastries.

When I make it at home, I begin with freshly milled soft wheat berries. Depending on the bake, I sometimes blend in spelt or rye for added depth. These whole grain flours bring different protein contents to the mix, which helps keep gluten formation low and results in a flaky, delicate crumb.

For a buttery softness, I’ll occasionally add a small amount of einkorn or kamut, just enough to enhance the texture without affecting structure.

To make 1 cup of flour (about 120g of sifted pastry flour), I mill roughly 156-176g of wheat berries, knowing I’ll lose some volume when sifting out the coarser bran.

What remains is a light, finely textured flour that smells as warm and inviting as it bakes. In my experience, whole wheat pastry flour or regular flour doesn’t deliver quite the same tender results.

Quick Tip: Freshly milled flour naturally contains more moisture, so I typically add about 1/4 cup extra flour per cup of flour called for in a recipe. I also chill the flour to room temperature or cooler before using—especially important in pastry doughs that rely on cold fats like butter or lard.

What Is Cake Flour Using Freshly Milled Flour?

Cake flour is the fine, almost silky flour bakers have relied on for generations to make their signature, tender cakes. It’s often considered the best substitute for bleached flour when baking something truly soft and light.

Made from soft winter wheat, this low protein flour has the lowest gluten content among wheat flours, which helps reduce gluten formation and leads to a fluffy, delicate crumb—perfect for white cake, carrot cake, and even angel food cake.

In my kitchen, I follow a diy cake flour method using a #40 sieve and freshly milled soft white wheat or soft red wheat (which adds a nuttier flavor).

This homemade cake flour recipe mimics the results of actual cake flour, offering a smoother texture and better flavor than store-bought blends. Long before factory flour processing became the norm, home bakers created their own flour this way—and I continue that tradition in my own cottage kitchen.

If you’re curious about how and when to sift, check out my guide: Sifting Fresh Milled Flour: When It Matters Most.

Measuring Freshly Milled Flour

Getting your measurements right makes all the difference when baking with freshly milled flour, especially for delicate bakes like cakes and pastries.

By Weight (Most Accurate)

Using a kitchen scale? Aim for 120g of sifted flour per cup. Because sifting removes about 20–30% of the flour (mostly bran), start with 156–176g of soft wheat berries to end up with 120g of sifted flour.

Using a #40 sieve helps create the silky, bakery-style texture we want.

By Volume (If You’re Not Weighing)

Fresh flour is more aerated and fluffy than store-bought. It takes up more space in the measuring cup, so if you’re measuring by volume:

Use 1¼ cups of freshly milled flour for every 1 cup of store-bought flour.

This helps adjust for the extra loft (aka airy texture) and keeps your bakes consistent.

Pro Tip:

Want your flour to mimic commercial cake flour? Remove 1–2 tablespoons of flour per cup and replace it with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch or tapioca starch.

But honestly? I find that sifted soft white wheat on its own gives a beautiful, fluffy crumb, especially in my Sourdough Vanilla Cake with Fresh Milled Flour.

Tools You May Need

• Manual Sieve – A manual sieve is one of the most essential tools for creating your own cake and pastry flour at home. I use a #40 sieve for achieving that light, silky texture you want in delicate baked goods. It’s simple, quiet, and gives you full control over the final consistency.
• Electric Sifter – If you’re milling and sifting in larger batches, an electric sifter can save time and effort. It creates a fine, even flour texture quickly, which is perfect when you’re prepping flour for multiple cake recipes, micro bakery, weekend baking, or for a special event.

These are the only tools I rely on in my cottage kitchen for flour sifting—and they make all the difference in achieving that bakery-style softness in every baked good.

This post contains affiliate links. Please read our disclosure HERE.

Freshly Milled Flour Blends for Cakes & Pastries

If you’re just getting started with freshly milled flour, these two blends are beautifully simple and work in nearly any cake or pastry recipe:

• Soft White Wheat: My go-to for a light, neutral flavor and super soft texture. Perfect for cakes where the filling or frosting shines.
• Soft Red Wheat: A great choice when you want a touch more depth—think galettes, tart shells, or anything where a slightly nutty flavor (noted by many millers) adds to the bake.

You don’t need to blend anything fancy—just mill, sift, and bake. These are the same flours I use most often today, and they’ve never let me down.

Beginner Tip: How to Measure Freshly Milled Flour

Fresh flour is naturally lighter and more airy than store-bought, so it fluffs up and fills your cup faster. To keep your bakes on track:

• Use 1¼ cups of freshly milled flour in place of 1 cup of store-bought.
• Or better yet? Weigh it. You’ll need about 120g of sifted flour per cup.
• To get that amount, start with 156g of soft wheat berries (you’ll lose some weight to the bran during sifting).

This little adjustment makes a big difference in consistency, so your cakes rise beautifully, and your pastries stay soft and tender.

Intrigued by Other Grains? Let’s Explore

While I haven’t tested all of these combinations in my cake and pastry flour blends just yet, I’ve done quite a bit of research—and one grain I have used extensively is einkorn.

If you’re an experienced miller who has tried these in your own flour blends, I’d truly love to hear your thoughts and experience with them in the comments below.

• Spelt – Adds a mildly sweet, nutty flavor with a tender crumb. It’s an ancient grain that’s more water-soluble than common wheat, which can help create a softer texture in baked goods. Reference: Dr. Axe
• Rye – Offers a touch of earthiness and moisture—often used in denser bakes like rye bread, but could be interesting in small amounts for flavor depth in cookies or rustic pastries. Reference: Fine Dining Lovers
• Buckwheat – Naturally gluten-free and rich in antioxidants. It has a deep, earthy flavor that pairs beautifully with chocolate or berries, making it an interesting addition to specialty cakes or muffins. Reference: King Arthur Baking
• Einkorn – I’ve baked with einkorn many times and can say without hesitation: it’s one of the most flavorful grains I’ve ever used. Einkorn adds a naturally buttery richness and works especially well in baked goods that don’t rely on gluten for structure. It makes phenomenal cookies, pasta, and rustic bakes. If you’re curious, here are a few of my tried-and-true einkorn recipes:
  • Einkorn Dutch Baby Pancake – Light, custardy, and golden with just the right crisp.
  • Homemade Sourdough Einkorn Pasta – Made with starter or discard, this pasta is soft, tender, and full of flavor.
  • Sourdough Einkorn Oatmeal Raisin Cookies – Buttery, chewy, and perfectly spiced.

How to Sift Your Freshly Milled Flour to Make Cake and Pastry Flour

Step One: Mill

Start by milling your grain of choice—soft white wheat, spelt, rye, or a blend. For one cup (120g) of sifted flour, grind about 78g of berries per cup plus 20–40% more to account for what’s removed during sifting.

Step Two: Choose Your Sieve

Use a clean, dry #40 sieve for the softest flour. It’s my go-to for cake and pastry baking because it produces a finer, more delicate texture.

Step Three: Sift

Work the flour through your sieve over a bowl using a spoon or your hand in a gentle, circular motion. You’ll be left with soft, light flour in the bowl and coarser bran in the sieve. Repeat the sifting if you want it even finer. I sometimes use an electric sifter to speed things up—linked in the tools section above.

Step Four: Measure

After sifting, measure out what you need using a kitchen scale for the best accuracy—I always recommend weighing flour when possible. But if you’re using measuring cups, use 1¼ cups of freshly milled flour for every 1 cup of store-bought flour called for in your recipe.

Freshly milled flour is naturally fluffier and more aerated because it hasn’t been compacted or processed. That added volume means it takes up more space in a measuring cup, even though it can weigh the same or more due to the presence of wheat germ and natural oils.

Step Five: Store the Sifted Flour

My first choice and suggestion is baking the same day:

Place your freshly milled flour in a resealable plastic bag (like a Ziploc), lay it flat, and cool it in the refrigerator for at least an hour or in the freezer for no more than 30 minutes.

This helps bring down the temperature, as freshly milled flour can reach temperatures between 105°F and 110°F, depending on your mill. For instance, my Mockmill typically produces flour around 105°F, while my WonderMill (an impact mill) runs slightly hotter.

For short-term storage:

If you’re baking within a day or two, keep the flour in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer. This preserves its freshness and ensures it’s ready for recipes requiring cold flour, like pastries or pie crusts.

For long-term storage:

Vacuum-seal the flour in airtight containers and store it in the freezer. Use it within 90 days to maintain optimal freshness and prevent any off-flavors. Freezing halts oxidation, preserving the flour’s nutrients and flavor.

Tip: Using cold flour is especially beneficial for recipes involving butter or lard, as it helps achieve flakier textures in pastries and pie crusts.

Ideally, use freshly milled flour the same day:

To maximize its nutritional benefits. Sue Becker, from Bread Beckers, explains that freshly milled flour begins to oxidize quickly. In just 24 hours, as much as 45% of the nutrients can degrade, and up to 90% by 72 hours.

That’s why I try to use my flour the same day it’s milled, especially in recipes where nutrition matters most. You can learn more in her article here or on her YouTube channel.

Disclaimer: This post shares and reflects my personal experience baking with freshly milled flour at home for over 26 years. It is intended for informational and inspirational purposes only. Please use your best judgment and consult a qualified professional for any dietary or health-related advice.

Printable Guide: Sieve Sizes & Their Uses in My Cottage Kitchen

Printable Guide: How Much Wheat to Mill for Sifted Flour

Notes and Pro Tips for Success

• Pick your grain with purpose – Soft white wheat creates a neutral, tender crumb—ideal for cakes and frostings that shine. Soft red wheat brings a richer, nuttier flavor, great for pastries or heartier bakes.
• Choose the right sieve – A #40 sieve is ideal for cake and pastry flour, letting through only the finest particles. Avoid using finer sieves like #50 or #60, which are better suited for bread or general baking.
• Add extra grain before sifting – Since sifting removes some of the flour’s weight and volume, always mill about 20–40% more grain than your recipe calls for. This ensures you end up with the amount you need post-sifting, plus enough to dust your work surface with.
• Cool your flour before baking – Freshly milled flour can be hot straight from the mill. Chill it in the fridge or freezer before baking with cold fats like butter or lard—especially in pastries—to help achieve flakier, more tender results.

In our cottage kitchen, I try to mill flour fresh whenever possible. But life isn’t always slow and predictable. Between recipe testing, hosting family, seasonal garden days, and helping with projects around the house, there are plenty of times I need to prep ahead.

That’s where smart storage comes in. These are the simple ways I keep freshly milled flour at its best—whether I’m baking today or later in the week.

Storage Ideas for Freshly Milled Flour

• Mill on demand, when possible – I prefer to use freshly milled flour the same day. It gives me the best results and ensures I’m getting the most from the grains I’ve invested in.
• Refrigerate or freeze for same-day use – If I’m baking later in the day, I’ll store sifted flour in a Ziploc bag, laid flat in the fridge (1+ hour) or freezer (no more than 30 minutes) to cool it down quickly.
• Store carefully when life gets full – During busy seasons—family gatherings, garden days, or blog testing—I do store flour short-term. Once milled and sifted, I place the bran in one airtight container and the sifted flour in another.
• Separate by purpose – I label and store bran separately in a freezer-safe container. If I plan to use it within 2–3 days, I refrigerate it. If it’s going to be a week or longer, it goes into the freezer.
• Use within two weeks, ideally sooner – I don’t use freshly milled flour that’s older than 14 days. Even though baking results are still good, nutritional benefits begin to decline after just a few days.
• Nutrition matters – Sue Becker explains that flour begins to oxidize and lose nutrients within 24–72 hours of milling. You can find her full explanation here and on her YouTube channel.
• Your time and ingredients are valuable – As someone who mills at home and budgets carefully, I know how precious each grain and each minute can be. Storing flour with care ensures your investment of time, money, and intention doesn’t go to waste.

FAQs

Can I substitute freshly milled soft wheat flour for all-purpose flour in cake and pastry recipes?

Yes, you can! When baking by weight, it’s generally a 1:1 swap—unless you’re sifting, in which case you’ll need to mill more wheat berries to account for the removed bran. For example, to yield 120g of sifted flour, mill about 156g of soft wheat berries (a 30% increase). If you’re measuring by volume, use 1¼ cups of freshly milled flour for every 1 cup of store-bought flour to adjust for its natural lightness and fluff.

How much flour will I get from milling wheat berries?

If you’re not sifting, the weight remains the same—5 pounds of wheat berries yields 5 pounds of flour. But if you’re sifting, expect to lose 20–40% to the bran. To yield a full cup (120g) of sifted flour, plan to mill 20–40% more grain, depending on how finely you sift.

Is sifting necessary for cakes and pastries?

Absolutely—and not just from me. My grandmother and great-grandmother would agree: sifting truly makes a difference. It’s the secret behind that melt-in-your-mouth crumb you get in cakes and pastries.

It removes coarser bran and aerates the flour, resulting in a softer texture and a more delicate crumb. For best results, use a #40 sieve, which is ideal for cake and pastry flour.

How should I store freshly milled flour, and how long will it stay fresh?

For best nutrition and flavor, use freshly milled flour the same day. If needed, store it in an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to one week, or freeze for up to three months. Always label it with the milling date. I also recommend chilling your flour before pastry baking—cold flour blends better with cold butter and yields flakier results.

Final Thoughts on Homemade Cake and Pastry Flour Using Freshly Milled Flour

As someone who mills fresh flour weekly in my cottage kitchen for the past 26 years and bakes for both family and blog recipe development, I’ve learned how to get reliable, bakery-style results right at home.

Baking with freshly milled flour isn’t just a technique—it’s a return to something slower, more connected. It’s about honoring simple ingredients and bringing purpose into every step, from grinding to sifting to storing.

Whether you stick to soft white or soft red wheat, or feel adventurous with grains like spelt, rye, buckwheat, or einkorn, there’s something deeply rewarding in crafting your own blends by hand.

I hope this guide empowers you to try your own homemade cake and pastry flour using freshly milled flour.

It’s a small shift with a big payoff: softer cakes, flakier pastries, and a deeper relationship with the work of your hands. Whether you’re baking for a quiet afternoon or a family gathering, this kind of flour brings something special to the table because you made it yourself.

I’d love to cheer you on in your freshly milled flour adventures!  Tag me on Instagram @themoderndaycottage so I can share what you’re baking up.

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It’s cozy, it’s homemade, and there’s always seasonal inspiration to share.

With Love and Gratitude, Emily!

Disclaimer: This post shares and reflects my personal experience baking with freshly milled flour at home for over 26 years. It is intended for informational and inspirational purposes only. Please use your best judgment and consult a qualified professional for any dietary or health-related advice.