Why does everyone skip the sifting step in recipes?

I keep seeing posts where people complain about lumpy batter or dense cakes, and every time the comments figure out they didn't sift. Last Sunday I made a batch of muffins with unsifted flour on purpose, and the texture was noticeably off compared to my usual result. Do you think sifting actually matters for modern flour, or is it just a habit from older recipes?

2 comments

2 Comments

laura_wright24d ago

I'm with you on sifting, but modern flour is way finer than what grandma used.

gavina7324d ago

Is the fineness actually the issue though, or is it more about how the flour's been processed and bleached these days? Cause I've noticed some newer flours clump up worse than the old stone ground stuff ever did. Do you find yourself sifting less for cakes but more for stuff like gravy or sauces where lumps show up fast?