Baking Measurement Converter
Convert a volume measurement in cups to grams for any baking ingredient. Essential when a recipe lists cups but you need precise gram weights for consistent, professional results.
About this calculator
Volume measurements like cups are imprecise for baking because different ingredients pack and settle differently — a cup of sifted cake flour weighs far less than a cup of packed brown sugar. The formula is: grams = cups × gramsPerCup. The key variable is gramsPerCup, which is ingredient-specific: all-purpose flour is roughly 125 g/cup, granulated sugar about 200 g/cup, butter around 227 g/cup, and cocoa powder near 85 g/cup. By entering the correct density for your ingredient, you convert any cup amount to a precise gram weight. Using a kitchen scale with gram weights produces far more consistent baked goods than volume scooping alone.
How to use
You need 2.5 cups of all-purpose flour. Standard all-purpose flour weighs approximately 125 g per cup. Enter cups = 2.5 and gramsPerCup = 125. The calculator computes: 2.5 × 125 = 312.5 grams. Weigh out 312.5 g on your kitchen scale instead of scooping, and your dough will have the correct hydration every time. For brown sugar (packed, ~220 g/cup), 2.5 cups would yield 2.5 × 220 = 550 grams.
Frequently asked questions
How many grams are in a cup of all-purpose flour?
A cup of all-purpose flour typically weighs between 120 g and 130 g, with 125 g being the most widely used standard. The exact weight depends on how the flour is measured — spooned and leveled gives about 120–125 g, while scooped directly from the bag can pack as much as 150–160 g. Professional bakers and most serious recipes use weight measurements to eliminate this variability. Using a scale ensures consistent results batch after batch.
Why should I convert cups to grams when baking?
Baking is chemistry, and small differences in ingredient ratios can cause cookies to spread too thin, bread to be too dense, or cakes to collapse. Cup measurements are highly variable because flour compresses, cocoa lumps, and sugars pack differently depending on humidity and technique. Gram measurements remove the human variable entirely. Many professional and European recipes list only gram weights for this reason. Even a 10% flour difference can noticeably change a bread dough's hydration and final texture.
What is the grams per cup value for common baking ingredients?
Here are widely accepted conversions: all-purpose flour ≈ 125 g/cup, bread flour ≈ 130 g/cup, cake flour ≈ 100 g/cup, granulated sugar ≈ 200 g/cup, packed brown sugar ≈ 220 g/cup, powdered sugar ≈ 120 g/cup, unsalted butter ≈ 227 g/cup, cocoa powder ≈ 85 g/cup, and rolled oats ≈ 90 g/cup. These values can vary slightly by brand and measurement method. When in doubt, consult the ingredient's packaging or a trusted culinary reference.