“All-purpose flour” (also called “AP flour”) can be used for baking many things, although professional bakers usually use other flours. All-purpose flour is not good for “all purposes,” but there are jokes.
 
“Why do the call it ‘all-purpose’ flour? I can think of tones of purposes its not for. Contraception, engine lubrication, body wash…” was posted on Twitter by Lindsey Ian Cole on October 12, 2010. “Why is it called all-purpose flour if it isn’t for all purposes? #cookiebakingfailure” was posted on Twitter by laureng05 on December 2, 2010. “My culinary school instructor said this about AP #flour: ‘It’s intended for all purposes, but ideal for none’” was posted on Twitter by Alison Ashton on October 14, 2014.
   
“You cannot use all-purpose flour for all purposes” was posted on Reddit—Showerthoughts on December 20, 2017. “All-purpose flour has a limited number of uses” was posted on Reddit—Showerthoughts on November 21, 2020.
 
“All porpoise flour is NOT dolphin safe,” “Thought I could put dolphin in my fish pie. Until I noticed I was using all porpoise flour” and “What does a dolphin bake with?”/“All porpoise flour” are “all-purpose flour” porpoise jokes.
     
         
Wikipedia: Flour
Plain or all-purpose flour
All-purpose, or “AP flour”, or plain flour is medium in gluten protein content at 9.5-11.5% (10-12% from second source) protein content. It has adequate protein content for many bread and pizza bases, though bread flour and special 00 grade Italian flour are often preferred for these purposes, respectively, especially by artisan bakers. Some biscuits are also prepared using this type of flour. “Plain” refers not only to AP flour’s middling gluten content but also to its lack of any added leavening agent (as in self-rising flour).
 
Wiktionary: all-purpose flour
Noun
all-purpose flour (usually uncountable, plural all-purpose flours)
1. (US, cooking) Plain flour.
     
Twitter
Lindsey Ian Cole
@Lindsanity50
Why do the call it “all-purpose” flour? I can think of tones of purposes its not for. Contraception, engine lubrication, body wash…
6:33 AM · Oct 12, 2010·twicca
       
Twitter
laureng05
@laureng05
Why is it called all-purpose flour if it isn’t for all purposes? #cookiebakingfailure
12:02 PM · Dec 2, 2010·Twitter Web Client
           
Twitter
Ya Boi
@alexbfield
I feel like All-Purpose Flour isn’t actually good for all purposes.
6:08 PM · Aug 16, 2011·Twitter Web Client
 
Twitter
Teowulf
@Teowulf
Contrary to its name, all-purpose flour is not useful for all purposes. For instance, as a lubricant.
7:28 PM · Jan 22, 2013·Favstar.FM
 
Twitter
Alison Ashton
@ContentKitchn
My culinary school instructor said this about AP #flour: “It’s intended for all purposes, but ideal for none.” http://ow.ly/CE22x
1:01 PM · Oct 14, 2014·Hootsuite
 
Twitter
yolo ammirite?
@jajaquestions
Can all-purpose flour be used for all purposes?
1:25 AM · Nov 17, 2015·Twitter for iPhone
   
Twitter
D Andy
@AndyWeidert
“All purpose flour” is BS. It has very limited purposes, mostly baking related.
8:08 PM · Aug 11, 2016·Twitter Web Client
 
Twitter
Leah Bobet—on hiatus
@leahbobet
OH in the kitchen: “OKAY. 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour. Flour for all purposes! If you want to kill a man, USE THIS FLOUR.”
12:30 PM · Sep 5, 2016·Twitter Web Client
 
Twitter
Fabian Giesen
@rygorous
Incomplete list of purposes “all-purpose” flour is unsuitable for: electrical insulation; plant fertilizer; lubricant; fire-proofing; chess.
11:28 PM · Oct 2, 2016·Twitter Web Client
   
Twitter
uıɟɟıɹƃ
@griffmail
What are the vast amount of purposes of All-Purpose Flour?
7:29 AM · Sep 11, 2017·Twitter for iPhone
           
Reddit—Showerthoughts
Posted by u/[deleted] December 20, 2017
You cannot use all-purpose flour for all purposes.
   
Twitter
Henry
@HenryJaMo1
“All purpose” flour is misnamed. Try putting it your gas tank. Spoiler alert: it breaks your car. Looks like you are quite limited in your purposes, “all” purpose flour.
10:03 PM · Dec 30, 2017·Twitter for Android
 
Twitter
Colin Jones
@trptcolin
I regret to inform you that all-purpose flour can’t literally be used for all purposes.
10:36 PM · Jul 11, 2019·Twitter for iPad
 
Twitter
Björn Rådström Oncoming busBus stop
@bjornradstrom
False advertising! I tried using it to wash my hair, and let’s just say the flour was not for all purposes.
6:57 PM · Jan 4, 2020·Twitter for iPhone
 
Twitter
Huff
@huff_77
all-purpose flour is bullshit you could not use it for ALL purposes
12:10 AM · Sep 12, 2020·Twitter for iPhone
 
Reddit—Showerthoughts
Posted by u/umm_it November 21, 2020
All-purpose flour has a limited number of uses.
COMMENTS
BillyBerigman
Right… you can use it once…
everflow
Limited to the set of “purposes of flour”, this type of flour checks all.
crizzlefresh
You mean I can’t use it to fix holes in my roof?