Old Cake flour

[vilasman]

What is the shelf life of cake flour and what is the difference in the quality of the baked goods made with old flour. I have some Swans Down Cake flour that I got maybe 2 years ago, and I stocked up on it, about 4-5 boxes because it was on the get rid of it now shelf. It had been in the store for awhile. I bought 2 new boxes yesterday and I am wondering if it is time to dump the old flour. About 2-3 of the boxes have never been opened.

 

[lulu]

I am afraid I use old flour. As long as it has been sealed and stored properly. I bin any fresh stuff that even could be on the edge of alright but grains and flour etc I use.....ever since I saw them grow fresh crops from the grins stored in one of the pyramids I have reckoned flour a couple of years old can't be too dire!

If there is risk o it not having been stored well, eg damp, throw it!

 

[vilasman]

I made a cake with some that came from a package that I had opened sometime before a month or two ago , and i notice that the cake was a bit dry, but I didn't know if it was the flour or something i did.

 

[lulu]

I don't know. Food saftey is not my forte, BUT flour is dry, its the fact its dry that it stores well I think, although the flour could well be stale. May be if you are going to keep it use it for strong flavoured cakes rather than light plain sponges.

I am probably wrong and you should bish it, I just know I would use it up.

 

[Buck]

It stands to reason that if you use old cake flour you'll get an old cake.
No?
Buck

 

[Katie H]

I don't use a lot of cake flour but, what I do use is always stored securely in air-tight containers. I'm pretty sure some of my cake flour has been around a couple of years. I have never noticed anything "off" about it when I use it.

I'd say as long as there are no obvious "creatures" living in the flour and it's not clumped, which would be an indication of accumulated moisture, go ahead and use the flour up. And, I think, lulu's suggestion of using it in highly-flavored cakes would be a good idea, too, if you want to be extra cautious as to any stale taste.

 

[jennyema]

I think it would be fine unless it was self-rising. Then there would be a problem with old baking powder.