Run out of self raising flour halfway through a bake? Here's how to make self raising flour at home with just plain flour and baking powder, ready in 2 minutes.
It's my go to fix whenever I'm whipping up my 3 Ingredient Lemonade Scones or a Condensed Milk Cake and the pantry lets me down.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
✅ Recipe Name: Homemade Self Raising Flour
🕒 Ready In: 2 minutes
👪 Makes: 1 cup (small batch) or 4 cups (large batch)
🍚 Calories: 459kcal per cup
🥣 Main Ingredients: plain (all purpose) flour, baking powder
📖 Method: Sift together with a sieve, or whisk in a bowl
⭐ Why You'll Love It: Just 2 pantry staples and no extra trip to the supermarket!
SUMMARIZE & SAVE THIS CONTENT ON
Self raising flour is the secret to light, fluffy cakes, cupcakes, scones, slices and biscuits. It's not easy to find in every part of the world though, and even when it is, there's always that moment you reach for the bag and find it empty!
Jump to:
- A Quick Look At The Recipe
- What Is Self Raising Flour?
- Are Self Raising Flour And Self Rising Flour The Same Thing?
- Self Raising Flour Ingredients
- Variations
- How To Make Self Raising Flour
- Top Tip
- When To Use Self Raising Flour
- Storing Self Raising Flour
- Recipe Tips
- Self Raising Flour FAQs
- Recipes That Use Self Raising Flour
- Homemade Self Raising Flour
What Is Self Raising Flour?
Self raising flour is plain flour (also called all purpose flour) with a leavening agent, usually baking powder, already mixed through. Sift the two together and you get flour that gives your baked goods the perfect rise.
It's a favourite for cakes, loaves, pancakes, scones and biscuits.
Are Self Raising Flour And Self Rising Flour The Same Thing?
The names get swapped around a lot, but they're not quite the same.
- Self raising flour is most common in the UK, New Zealand and Australia. It's made from plain flour and baking powder.
- Self rising flour is popular in the US. It's made from plain flour, baking powder and salt.
My recipe makes the UK, Australian and NZ style of self raising flour.
Self Raising Flour Ingredients
You only need two pantry staples. The exact amounts are in the recipe card below.
Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method.
- Baking powder: this is the leavening agent that makes your bakes rise. Use a level teaspoon, not a heaped one.
Variations
- Bulk batch: make 4 cups at once with 8 teaspoons of baking powder, or any amount you like as long as you keep the ratio of 2 teaspoons of baking powder to every 1 cup (150g / 6 oz) of plain flour.
- No sieve? Whisk the baking powder and plain flour together in a bowl instead.
- Only got bicarb soda? Bicarbonate of soda is about 3 times stronger than baking powder, so use just over ½ teaspoon for every 1 cup of plain flour. Baking powder is still the best choice.
How To Make Self Raising Flour
It really is SO easy. Here's how it comes together, with the full recipe card below.
Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method.
- Step 1: Measure. Measure out 2 level teaspoons of baking powder for every 1 cup (150g / 6 oz) of plain flour.
- Step 2: Sift. Using a sieve, sift the baking powder and plain flour together into a bowl so the baking powder is evenly spread through the flour.
- Step 3: Use or store. Use it in place of the self raising flour in your recipe, or pop it into an airtight container until you need it.
Top Tip
Always use a level teaspoon of baking powder. Shake or stir the container first, take a slightly heaped scoop, then level it off with a knife or the flat edge of the container.
When To Use Self Raising Flour
- When your recipe calls for self raising flour.
- When you want light, airy and fluffy baked goods.
- For cakes, cupcakes, biscuits, slices and pancakes.
When NOT To Use It
- For sourdough.
- For breads, loaves or doughs made with yeast, as the yeast does the rising.
- If your recipe already uses bicarbonate soda, baking soda or yeast. Self raising flour is generally enough of a rising agent on its own.
- When your recipe calls for plain flour. Self raising flour and plain flour are not interchangeable.
Storing Self Raising Flour
Store your homemade self raising flour in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. It's best used within 1 year.
Recipe Tips
- Don't skip the sifting: it spreads the baking powder evenly so your bakes rise evenly.
- Keep the ratio: 2 teaspoons of baking powder to every 1 cup (150g / 6 oz) of plain flour, whether you're making a little or a lot.
- Need more baking basics? My Ingredient Conversions chart and my guide to What Is Caster Sugar are handy to keep bookmarked.
Self Raising Flour FAQs
Sift 2 teaspoons of baking powder through every 1 cup (150g / 6 oz) of plain (all purpose) flour.
Bicarbonate of soda is approximately 3 times more powerful than baking powder, so it's best to use baking powder when making self raising flour. However, if you only have bicarbonate of soda, sift just over ½ teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda through every 1 cup of plain flour.
Not quite. Self raising flour (popular in the UK, New Zealand and Australia) is plain flour and baking powder. Self rising flour (popular in the US) is plain flour, baking powder and salt.
No. Self raising flour and plain flour are not interchangeable, so use whichever flour your recipe calls for.
Use a level (not heaped) teaspoon. Shake or stir the container first, then take a slightly heaped scoop and level it off with a knife or the flat edge of the container.
Absolutely! Just keep the ratio of 2 teaspoons of baking powder to every 1 cup (150g / 6 oz) of plain (all purpose) flour.
Sifting spreads the leavening agent (the baking powder) evenly through the flour, so your baked goods rise evenly.
Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place and use within one year.
Recipes That Use Self Raising Flour
WANT EVEN MORE DELICIOUS RECIPES? Subscribe to my newsletter or follow along on Facebook or Instagram. And if you love baking, then please come and join my Facebook cooking club group or subscribe to my YouTube channel.
Homemade Self Raising Flour
Ingredients
Small Batch (1 Cup)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 cup plain flour all purpose flour
Large Batch (4 Cups)
- 8 teaspoons baking powder
- 4 cups plain flour all purpose flour
Instructions
- Using a sieve, sift the baking powder and plain (all purpose) flour together into a bowl. Note: If you don't have a sieve, you can whisk the baking powder and plain flour together in a bowl.
- Use as a replacement for the self raising flour ingredient in your desired recipe or store until required.
Lungiswa says
Thank you so much for the recipes
Mary Jo says
It is self-rising self-raising
Lucy says
Yes it is!