You might notice your flour mixture looks a little whiter. Cornstarch is ghostly. That’s fine. It bakes the same.
You might also develop a sudden urge to sift everything in sight. Sifting becomes addictive. I once sifted flour for no reason. It was a dark week.
Another funny detail: cake flour is often bleached. All-purpose is usually not. Your swap is unbleached and innocent. Your cake will be pure of heart.
What About Gluten-Free Folks?
If you need gluten-free, this hack won’t work. All-purpose gluten-free flour is a different beast. But you can swap that for gluten-free cake flour using the same cornstarch trick! Mind blown.
Just use a good gluten-free all-purpose blend. Remove two tablespoons. Add two tablespoons cornstarch. Sift like a maniac. It works there too.