Is there a huge difference between flour & pastry flour?
I saw a recipe for a simple cake which called for flour, and the person who posted the recipe said "I use whole wheat pastry flour." I have some ww flour but not pastry flour. Will the cake be "heavier" if I use the regular ww flour? Sorry if this is a simple question, but I'm not much of a baker but I'd like to contribute a little something to a thanksgiving dinner I'll be attending.
In case you're curious, here's the recipe I was thinking of trying:
Applesauce Spice Cake
1/2 cup molasses
1 cup applesauce
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 3/4 cup flour (I use whole wheat pastry flour)
2 tsp. ginger (optional)
Combine the molasses and applesauce in a large bowl. Combine remaining ingredients and stir into the liquid. (If the batter seems very dry, add a little more applesauce or a little water.) Bake in a nonstick or pan-sprayed 8*8-inch baking pan, in a 350 degree oven, for 30-45 minutes or until it tests done.
The optional ginger makes an acceptable gingerbread. I have also had success leaving out the ginger and adding 3 or 4 tablespoons of cocoa (I guess you could use carob) to make a tasty but not very sweet or rich chocolate cake. If you use cocoa you might need to add extra sweetening, but that depends on your taste.