Kitchen Conversions: Cups to Grams, Oven Temperatures and Pan Sizes
By Trevor Farias · Updated
Recipes on Trevor's Kitchen give cup measures and, where it matters, weights in grams. This page collects the conversions behind those numbers in one place, so you can follow a recipe written in a different system, scale it up or down, or swap a pan you do not have for one you do. Bookmark it or print it and tape it inside a cupboard door.
Quick calculator
Cups and spoons to grams
Fractions work too, for example 1 1/2 or 3/4.
Fahrenheit to Celsius
How much does a cup weigh?
A cup measures volume, not weight, so a cup of flour and a cup of sugar weigh very different amounts. Even the same ingredient varies with how you fill the cup: flour scooped straight from the bag can weigh 150 grams or more, while flour spooned into the cup and leveled weighs about 125 grams. That difference is enough to turn a moist cake dry, which is why weighing is the most reliable way to bake. The weights below are for one level US cup and are the same ones used in the recipes on this site.
| Ingredient (1 cup) | Grams | Ounces |
|---|---|---|
| All-purpose flour (spooned and leveled) | 125 | 4.4 |
| Bread flour (spooned and leveled) | 130 | 4.6 |
| Whole wheat flour | 120 | 4.2 |
| Cake flour | 115 | 4.1 |
| Granulated sugar | 200 | 7.1 |
| Brown sugar (packed) | 200 | 7.1 |
| Powdered sugar | 120 | 4.2 |
| Butter (2 sticks) | 227 | 8.0 |
| Milk | 240 | 8.5 |
| Water | 237 | 8.4 |
| Vegetable oil | 218 | 7.7 |
| Honey or maple syrup | 340 | 12.0 |
| Unsweetened cocoa powder | 85 | 3.0 |
| Old-fashioned rolled oats | 90 | 3.2 |
| Chocolate chips | 175 | 6.2 |
| Long-grain white rice (uncooked) | 185 | 6.5 |
| Shredded cheese (cheddar, mozzarella) | 113 | 4.0 |
| Grated Parmesan | 90 | 3.2 |
| Chopped nuts | 115 | 4.1 |
How to measure flour without a scale
Stir the flour in the bag or canister to loosen it. Spoon it into a dry measuring cup until it is heaped over the top, without tapping or packing it down, then sweep the excess off with the back of a knife. Brown sugar is the opposite: pack it firmly into the cup so it holds its shape when turned out.
Spoons, cups and milliliters
These US measurements are handy when you are halving a recipe or have only one measuring cup clean. Metric amounts are rounded to the nearest practical figure.
| US measure | Equals | Metric |
|---|---|---|
| 1 tablespoon | 3 teaspoons | 15 ml |
| 1/8 cup | 2 tablespoons | 30 ml (1 fl oz) |
| 1/4 cup | 4 tablespoons | 60 ml |
| 1/3 cup | 5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon | 80 ml |
| 1/2 cup | 8 tablespoons | 120 ml |
| 2/3 cup | 10 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons | 160 ml |
| 3/4 cup | 12 tablespoons | 180 ml |
| 1 cup | 16 tablespoons | 240 ml (8 fl oz) |
| 2 cups | 1 pint | 475 ml |
| 4 cups | 1 quart | 950 ml |
| 16 cups | 1 gallon | 3.8 liters |
Oven temperature conversions
Recipes here are written for a conventional (non-fan) oven in Fahrenheit. If you have a fan or convection oven, set it about 25°F (15 to 20°C) lower, or check the food a few minutes early. Home ovens are often off by 25°F or more, so an inexpensive oven thermometer is worth having.
| Fahrenheit | Celsius | Gas mark | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 250°F | 120°C | 1/2 | Very slow: meringues, drying |
| 275°F | 135°C | 1 | Slow: braises, custards |
| 300°F | 150°C | 2 | Slow: cheesecake water baths |
| 325°F | 165°C | 3 | Moderately slow: rich cakes, reheating |
| 350°F | 175°C | 4 | Moderate: most cakes, cookies, casseroles |
| 375°F | 190°C | 5 | Moderately hot: pies, lasagna, muffins |
| 400°F | 200°C | 6 | Hot: roasting vegetables, pastry |
| 425°F | 220°C | 7 | Hot: roast chicken, bread, fries |
| 450°F | 230°C | 8 | Very hot: pizza, crisping |
| 475°F | 245°C | 9 | Very hot: artisan bread, pizza |
Baking pan sizes and substitutions
You can swap one pan for another if it holds about the same volume. Measure a pan's capacity by filling it with water one cup at a time. When you change pans, the baking time changes too: a shallower pan bakes faster and a deeper one slower, so start checking early and use the toothpick test.
| Pan | Holds |
|---|---|
| 8-inch round cake pan | about 6 cups |
| 9-inch round cake pan | about 8 cups |
| 8x8-inch square pan | about 8 cups |
| 9x9-inch square pan | about 10 cups |
| 9x13-inch baking dish | about 14 to 15 cups |
| 9x5-inch loaf pan | about 8 cups |
| 8 1/2x4 1/2-inch loaf pan | about 6 cups |
| 9-inch pie plate | about 4 cups (deep-dish: 6 cups) |
| 10-inch Bundt pan | about 12 cups |
| 9-inch springform pan | about 10 cups |
| Standard muffin cup | about 1/2 cup |
Common swaps
- One 9x13-inch pan holds about the same as two 9-inch round cake pans.
- A 9x5-inch loaf pan can be replaced with an 8x8-inch square pan; bake for less time.
- A recipe for 24 cupcakes fills two 9-inch round pans or one 9x13-inch pan.
- Never fill a cake pan more than two-thirds full, whatever its size.
Butter measurements
- 1 stick of butter = 1/2 cup = 8 tablespoons = 113 grams
- 2 sticks = 1 cup = 227 grams
- 1 tablespoon of butter = 14 grams
Looking for something to bake? Browse the cakes, breads and cookies, or see the safe cooking temperatures chart for meat and fish.