Cups to Grams Conversion — Complete Baking Reference
One of the most common frustrations in baking is the imprecision of cup measurements. A cup of flour can weigh anywhere from 120g to 165g depending on how it's scooped — that's a 37% difference that can completely change the texture of a cake or bread. This is why professional bakers and virtually all non-American recipes use weight (grams) rather than volume (cups).
Why Cups Are Imprecise
When you scoop flour directly from the bag with a measuring cup, you compact it. When you spoon flour into the cup, you get a lighter, airier measurement. The "correct" way to measure flour by cup (spoon into cup, level off) still varies significantly between people. A gram is always exactly one gram.
Recommendation: If you bake regularly, a kitchen scale is one of the best $15-30 investments you can make. Weight measurements are faster, more accurate, and require fewer dishes.
Common Baking Ingredient Conversions
Flour
| Volume | All-Purpose Flour | Bread Flour | Cake Flour |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 cup | 120-125g | 127g | 100g |
| 3/4 cup | 90-94g | 95g | 75g |
| 1/2 cup | 60-63g | 64g | 50g |
| 1/3 cup | 40-42g | 42g | 33g |
| 1/4 cup | 30-31g | 32g | 25g |
Sugars
| Volume | Granulated Sugar | Brown Sugar (packed) | Powdered Sugar |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 cup | 200g | 220g | 120g |
| 3/4 cup | 150g | 165g | 90g |
| 1/2 cup | 100g | 110g | 60g |
| 1/4 cup | 50g | 55g | 30g |
Butter and Fats
| Volume | Butter | Vegetable Oil | Shortening |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 cup | 227g | 218g | 188g |
| 1/2 cup (1 stick) | 113g | 109g | 94g |
| 1/4 cup | 57g | 55g | 47g |
| 1 tablespoon | 14g | 14g | 12g |
Other Common Ingredients
| Ingredient | 1 Cup | 1 Tbsp |
|---|---|---|
| Honey | 340g | 21g |
| Cocoa powder | 100g | 6g |
| Oats (rolled) | 90g | 6g |
| Rice (uncooked) | 185g | 12g |
| Salt | 273g | 17g |
| Milk | 245g | 15g |
| Cream cheese | 232g | 15g |
Convert between cups, tablespoons, milliliters, and grams instantly.
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