Barley flour can replace wheat flour in cakes without major changes in taste or texture. By mixing barley flour with wheat flour at different levels, researchers found that cakes with up to 50% barley flour had similar quality to those made with only wheat flour. The cakes had slightly more protein and less moisture as more barley flour was added. The way the flour thickens when mixed with water also changed, but the cakes still turned out well. So, using barley flour in cakes could be a healthy choice without sacrificing the deliciousness of the final product.