Food Facts

Weight to Volume Ingredient Conversions

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There have been many times I have needed to know the weight of 1 cup of an ingredient such as flour or sugar. However, it is not easy to convert an ingredient’s volume to weight. While one cup is 8 fluid ounces, it isn’t 8 ounces in weight.

So I set out to solve this problem. I weighed all of the ingredients 10 times then averaged the weight. Obviously, these are approximations as the way you measure an ingredient can also change how much of that ingredient you get. See below for the best way to measure your ingredients.

Ingredient1 cup Weight (oz)1 cup Weight (grams)# of Cups in a 5lb bag
White Flour4.8oz136g16 2/3 cups
Whole Wheat Flour4.5oz128g17 2/3 cups
Granulated Sugar6.9oz196g11 1/2 cups
Brown Sugar (packed)7.4oz210g10 3/4 cups
Powdered Sugar3.7oz105g21 1/2 cups

How to Measure Sugar

Brown Sugar

Most brown sugar recipes will call for brown sugar to be packed when measured. If a recipe doesn’t specify whether you should pack the brown sugar, assume you should. To properly measure brown sugar, tightly pack it into the measuring cup, then use something totally flat, such as a straight-edge spatula or back of a knife, to evenly scrape off the excess brown sugar.

White Sugar

For white sugar, you will scoop up the sugar in your measuring cup and use something totally flat, such as a straight-edge spatula or the back of a knife, to evenly scrape off the excess sugar.

Powdered Sugar

To measure powdered sugar, scoop it into your measuring cup before using your straight-edge spatula or flat back of a knife to remove the excess sugar. Make sure to scoop lightly and don’t pack the sugar in. Powdered sugar also tends to have clumps in it. This will make it more difficult to mix your powdered sugar into frosting or batter as it will leave clumps. To deal with this, I typically measure my powdered sugar then run it through a sieve to remove the clumps.

How to Measure Flour

Measuring flour also involves the spoon and level method. Scoop your flour into your measuring cup before using your straight-edge spatula or flat back of a knife to level it off. Make sure to scoop lightly and don’t pack the flour in. Some people find their flour has clumps and it requires sifting. However, I don’t sift my flour for most recipes as I don’t find it necessary.

Want to learn more about how sugar is made? Check out this article. Or if you’re looking for a quick and easy recipe I recommend my Buttons and Bowknots. Happy Baking!

Hello! I'm Nichole and I am a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. I have a bachelor's degree in Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Science and a master's degree in Nutrition and Dietetics. I love cooking, baking and anything food related. I look forward to teaching you more about food and sharing my favorite recipes with you. Enjoy!

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