Baking with whole wheat flour

[Sue G in PA]

My dd13 made black bottom cupcakes last night. Now, assuming she followed the recipe exactly and didn't make any mistakes (which I don't know for sure), they didn't turn out as "sweet" as they usually do. We used whole wheat flour in an attempt to be healthy (trying to avoid white flour) and I know that using whole wheat flour typically makes a recipe turn out a bit, umm, different. Is this typical? The cupcakes are more like the texture of muffins and taste very "wheaty". Any baking gurus out there that can help us? We want to use this type of flour, but are not liking the end result. Thanks.

[Mejane]

Well, I'm not a baking guru :D, but you might try ww pastry flour next time. It's lighter, so your cupcakes won't be so dense. Or just cut the flour with white 50/50. hth.

[SquirrellyMama]

My dd13 made black bottom cupcakes last night. Now, assuming she followed the recipe exactly and didn't make any mistakes (which I don't know for sure), they didn't turn out as "sweet" as they usually do. We used whole wheat flour in an attempt to be healthy (trying to avoid white flour) and I know that using whole wheat flour typically makes a recipe turn out a bit, umm, different. Is this typical? The cupcakes are more like the texture of muffins and taste very "wheaty". Any baking gurus out there that can help us? We want to use this type of flour, but are not liking the end result. Thanks.

 

I've found that using ww flour does the same thing. I've heard that ww pastry flour is a little better but I've never used it. I've found that sometimes it is something you have to get used to.

Edited March 16, 2010 by kwiech

[Sue G in PA]

I sort of figured we might just have to get used to it. I will look for the ww pastry flour and perhaps trying using a 50/50 blend next time. Thanks.

[rfhsmom]

Use ww pastry flour and if you want even lighter texture sift it first. It will take some adjusting to the difference in flavor/texture.

[*********]

I sort of figured we might just have to get used to it. I will look for the ww pastry flour and perhaps trying using a 50/50 blend next time. Thanks.

 

Sue, I've been trying to use whole wheat flour more, too. I find that a 50/50 blend of whole wheat and unbleached white flour is a good compromise for my family. I feel better about them getting at least SOME whole wheat, and they still enjoy the texture of the muffins/bread or whatever that I made.

 

Ahh, the compromises of life. :D

[Dawn in OH]

I've been using a 50/50 split of white and wheat. Wheat alone seems to cause a few changes: 1) slightly nutty flavor 2) more dense 3) slightly drier (I've read that more liquid should be used but I have mastered knowing how much to add).

 

I'm still fairly new to substituting wheat flour for white. Hopefully someday I will master it.

[lllll]

Whole wheat pastry flour should help. The only place I can find it around here is in the bulk section of our natural food store.

 

HTH

Kathy

[FloridaLisa]

I use soft white (probably what you are calling pastry flour) in all of my baking soda/baking powder based recipes and we cannot tell a difference. I use it in pancakes, waffles, muffins, brownies, Coca-cola cake. I mill it right before using it. Not sure how the shelf variety would taste.

 

HTH,

Lisa

[Amira]

Here's another vote to get just used to it. I grew up eating a lot of whole wheat flour, so I had a head start, but for the last two years we haven't used any white flour (except when I make Central Asian noodles, which are impossible to make with whole wheat flour). I sometimes have soft wheat around to grind, but usually I just have hard wheat. We're all happy with the wheat flour, even my picky son who complained about a few things. Food made with white flour now doesn't taste good to me. I rarely make adjustments in recipes that call for white flour- I just substitute wheat.

[dirty ethel rackham]

I agree with PPs - whole wheat pastry flour. It is made from a softer wheatberry that has less protein. Also, make sure that the flour is fresh. From the minute is it milled, the oils start to oxidize. If you can't mill your own from soft wheatberries (I prefer white wheatberries over red), then make sure you buy it from a story that has good turnover of this product.

 

If you are unaccustomed to whole wheat products then I would recommend going 50/50 white/whole wheat until you are accustomed to baking with it.