Welcome to the Cake Decorators Q&A
Plain flour or Self Raising flour or both??
Whilst I make a good vanilla sponge with just Self Raising flour, some recipes call for plain and self raising flour to be added. Why is this? does it make a better sponge? and by using all plain flour with baking powder how does this differ from a self raising sponge?
USA recipes seem to state to use plain flour(all purpose) plus baking powder. I believe there is no difference between that and our self raising.
Madeira cake uses both plain and self raising flour whilst sponge is just self raising flour. I think the plain flour makes a denser cake that is easier to carve.
You have a good answer from Jayess, but in addition, because a plain and self raising flour mix produces a denser cake it also has a longer life. Maderia cake will last at least two weeks ( a week to decorate and a week to eat), where as a sponge cake will stale within a week.
