Relax About Bleached Flour Already, It Doesn’t Have Bleach In It

Chlorine treatment alters the normal rate of starch gelatinization in flour, slowing it in a way that improves gas retention. This allows the batter more time to rise, resulting in super-lofty, fine-grained cakes. Doubling down on that effect, chlorination also raises the temperature of protein denaturation, likewise buying the cake more time to rise.

What’s more, chlorination lowers the pH of cake flour from an average of 5.9 to about 4.8. The shift toward acidity inhibits browning, a major no-no for crusty breads and golden cookies, but a lovely touch when it comes to the snowy crumb of an angel food cake. Inhibiting the Maillard reaction can also be helpful in highlighting mild flavors, like almond or vanilla, that can be overwhelmed by the darker toffee notes of browning.

Bleached flour is not only fine but in fact better for fluffy angel food cake.