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The Right Time to Sift

Does it really matter if you sift your flour before you measure it or after? In a word: Yes. When a recipe calls for “1 cup sifted flour,” the flour should be sifted before measuring; whereas “1 cup flour, sifted” should be sifted after measuring. Here’s why: A cup of flour sifted before measuring will weigh 20 to 30 percent less than a cup of flour sifted after measuring—a difference that can make a huge impact on the texture of finished baked goods. The best way to make sure you’ve got the right amount of flour? Weigh it.

Here’s what various types of flour weigh, both sifted and unsifted:

| TYPE OF FLOUR | WEIGHT OF 1 CUP

UNSIFTED

| WEIGHT OF 1 CUP

SIFTED

| | All-Purpose | 5 ounces | 4 ounces | | Cake | 4 ounces | 3.25 ounces | | Bread | 5.5 ounces | 4.5 ounces |

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