What is the difference between regular flour and cake flour? I looked at a couple different websites that say basically the same thing: cake flour is finely milled, low protein, bleached flour made from winter wheat that results in a light, close crumb cake (meaning it doesn’t have big air pockets in the bake). It has less gluten than standard flour, so you can expect a cake that is tender and not bouncy or chewy. While of course, you can use all purpose flour for making cakes, for a special occasion cake such as a wedding cake, cake flour is a must. Perhaps this walnut cake recipe could be used for a birthday or New Year’s Eve celebration cake.

Walnut Cake

2 cups sifted Swans Down Cake Flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter or other shortening

1 cup sugar

3 egg yolks, beaten thick

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 egg whites, beaten light

3/4 cup walnuts, cut coarse

Sift flour once, measure, add baking powder and salt and sift together three times. Add to nuts. Cream shortening thoroughly, add sugar gradually, and cream together until light and fluffy. Then add egg yolks. Beat well. Add flour, baking powder, salt and nuts to creamed mixture, alternately with milk, a small amount at a time. Beat after each addition until smooth. Add vanilla. Fold in egg whites.

Bake in two 9-inch layers in moderate oven (375º F) 20 minutes. Spread with Boiled Icing and decorate with walnut halves.