"Gizmo" > wrote in message news:geAFe.79$1E.48@trndny04...
> I wanted to try making an Angel food cake. The recipe calls for "cake
> flour". I scoured 3 supermarkets near me including Whole foods but was
> unable to find it. I found "Pastry Flour" is this the same?
>
> I never realized there were so many types of flour!
>
> Thanks!

Cake flour is very low in gluten forming proteins. It is always(?) bleached
and finely milled. The pH is low because of the bleaching. All this
combines to give a tender crumb. Pastry flour can be white or whole wheat,
is not as finely ground, and can be bleached or not. It is higher in
protein than cake flour. All purpose is yet higher in protein.

Cake flour is sold in 2 pound boxes and is usually stocked in an
inconvenient location because it isn't a big seller. If you weren't looking
for a BOX of flour, you may have missed it. In a pinch, you can replace two
tablespoons of AP flour with corn starch, for each cup of flour specified.
Every supermarket in my area carries cake flour. Soft as Silk and Swan's
Down are the two brand I'm familiar with.

For an angel food cake, I would try for the cake flour.