How to convert any baking measurement

Posted by Jess Spiro on 29 January 2021

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How to convert any baking measurement — Regardless of whether you’re a seasoned baking pro or just starting out, chances are you’ve come across a recipe that uses measurements you’re simply not familiar with. If seeing a recipe in cups or ounces makes you run for the hills, fear not. We’ve put together a handy conversion sheet of basic ingredients for you to refer to.

The metric vs imperial system

Most countries use the metric system, which you’ll recognise through the use of millilitres and grams (as opposed to cups), but Americans still use the Imperial system, which measures ingredients in cups and pints and ounces.

How to convert 1 cup of butter into grams

If a recipe calls for 1 cup of butter, you could, in theory, allow it to soften to room temperature and press it into a cup measure, but there are some issues with this. Depending on how tightly you pack the butter into the cup, you could end up with more or less than an actual cup. Instead, know that 1 cup of butter works out to 227 grams. Most American recipes will call for 1 stick of butter, which works out 1/2 cup of butter and therefore, roughly 113 grams.

How to convert 1 cup of flour into grams

Before we get into the conversion of flour from cups to grams, you need to know how to measure flour correctly. Firstly, loosen the flour by whisking it or shaking it up in its container. Then, using a large spoon, scoop the flour into the measuring cup until a mound forms above the top of the cup. Don’t tap or shake the cup holding the flour, instead use the flat edge of a knife to sweep the excess flour off the top of the cup until it’s level. This ensures you’re not overpacking the cup with too much flour. The basic conversion for a cup of flour is 120 g, and it’s worth noting that weighing flour is by far the most precise method of measurement in baking.

How to convert 1 cup of white sugar into grams

One thing to be careful of when weighing sugar is that caster and granulated sugars have slightly different weights simply because caster is finer and allows for more particles to be packed into a cup. Normally, you can get away with swapping one for the other as the difference is so slight, but it’s worth knowing that 1 cup of white granulated sugar is 220 g, while caster is 225 g.

Basic conversions to remember

1 ounce = 28 g
1 pound = 450 g
1 T = 3 t
4 T = 1/4 cup
1 cup = 250 ml
1 pint = 500 ml
1 quart = 0.95 L
1 gallon = 3.8 L