What Does It Mean to Sift Flour and How Do You Do It?

Question: I’m making a soft cake, and the recipe says to “sift the flour and other dry ingredients.” What does that mean, and how do I do it?

Answer: Sifting flour in a recipe means passing it through a fine-mesh sieve or sifter to break up any lumps and make the flour lighter and more aerated. This helps ensure a smoother, more even texture in your batter and allows the other dry ingredients to mix more thoroughly. It’s also a technique you can use for making pancake batter or other recipes where you want to avoid lumps.

How to Sift Flour: Step-by-Step

1. Prepare your tools: Place a fine-mesh sieve or a flour sifter over a clean bowl or directly above the mixture where you’ll be adding the flour.
2. Add the flour: Pour the flour into the sifter or sieve. If the recipe calls for other dry ingredients like baking powder or cocoa powder, add them to the sifter as well.
3. Sift: Gently shake the sieve back and forth or tap it lightly against the side of the bowl to allow the flour to pass through. If you’re using a sieve, you can also tap it lightly against your hand.
4. Combine: Once all the flour has been sifted, mix it with the wet ingredients (like eggs, butter, or milk) as directed in your recipe.

Sifting is especially important when baking cakes or pastries that need to be light and airy, such as sponge cakes or muffins. While it’s not always necessary for bread recipes, it can still improve the texture and make a difference in the final result.