Why a Cup of Flour Is Not a Cup of Sugar: Baking by Weight
A US cup is a fixed volume. What it weighs depends entirely on what fills it — and in baking, that difference is the wh…
Cooking Converter
Convert any recipe measurement between cups, spoons, grams, ounces and millilitres using the real density of each ingredient — because a cup of flour and a cup of honey are not the same weight.
Converted amount
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Why volume-to-weight needs the ingredient
A US cup is a fixed 236.6 mL of space. What that space weighs depends entirely on what fills it: 125 g of flour, 200 g of granulated sugar, 340 g of honey. Any converter that turns cups into grams without asking what you are measuring is guessing, and in baking that guess is the difference between a cake and a brick.
The flour problem specifically
A cup of flour can weigh anywhere from 120 g to 150 g depending on whether it was scooped, spooned or sifted, which is a 25% swing in the main structural ingredient of most bakes. This tool uses 125 g per cup, the spoon-and-level standard used by King Arthur and most modern recipe developers. If your recipe comes from a source that scoops, expect to need slightly more.
How to use the Cooking Converter
- Fill in each field with your own figures — the defaults are only there as an example.
- The result updates as you type, so there is no button to press.
- Check the breakdown under the main result for the supporting numbers.
- Use the copy button to take the result with you, or share the link to reload the same inputs.
Cooking Converter — frequently asked questions
Should I bake by weight or volume?
By weight, whenever the recipe gives it. A scale removes the single largest source of inconsistency in home baking and means one fewer measuring cup to wash.
Is a US cup the same as a metric cup?
No. A US cup is 236.6 mL, a metric cup is 250 mL and an imperial cup is 284 mL. The 6% gap between US and metric cups is enough to matter in bread and pastry.
Is this cooking converter free to use?
Yes. Every calculator on the site is free, needs no sign-up, and runs entirely in your browser, so your figures never leave your device.
How accurate is the result?
The maths is exact for the formula shown on the page. Accuracy in the real world depends on your inputs and on assumptions the formula cannot see, so treat the output as a well-grounded estimate rather than a quote.
Can I use it on my phone?
Yes. The page is responsive, weighs a few kilobytes and works offline once loaded, so it behaves the same on a phone as on a desktop.
Related reading
What people search for
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About this calculator
Written and reviewed by The Samsung Calculator editorial team. Every calculator is written against a published formula, reviewed against at least one independent reference implementation, and dated when it changes.
Last reviewed August 15, 2026 · Calculation runs client-side · No data collected · Report an error