I spend a lot of time reading beautiful, inspiring baking blogs, most of which are by American bloggers.
So I know how frustrating it can be when you want to run into the kitchen to make a recipe and are faced with a list of measurements and temperatures you don’t understand!
Being from Australia, I use grams and cups when baking. As many readers may use different measurements or not understand grams, I thought I’d set out a list of baking conversions to help you (and to help myself, too).
However, I highly recommend buying a kitchen scale. It doesn’t have to be fancy, but as long as it alternated between grams, ounces, milliliters and fluid ounces, it will make converting things fantastically easy.
TERMINOLOGY
My abbreviations and British English.
Teaspoon = tsp
Tablespoon = tbsp
Grams = g
Kilograms = kg
Milliliters = ml
Plain flour = all purpose flour
Wholemeal flour = whole wheat flour
White sugar = granulated sugar
Caster sugar = superfine sugar
Icing sugar = powdered sugar
GENERAL MEASUREMENTS
Cups, tablespoons and teaspoons.
1/2 tbsp = 1 1/2 tsp
1 tbsp = 3 tsp
1/4 cup = 4 tbsp
1/3 cup = 5 tbsp + 1 tsp
1/2 cup = 8 tbsp
2/3 cup = 10 tbsp + 2 tsp
3/4 cup = 12 tbsp
1 cup = 16 tbsp
WEIGHT CONVERSIONS
Grams and ounces – general conversions.
1 ounce = 28 grams
1 pound = 16 ounces = 453 grams
20 g = 3/4 oz
60 g = 2 oz
100 g = 3.5 oz
125 g = 4.5 oz
180 g = 6.5 oz
250 g = 9 oz
500 g = 1/2 kilogram = 18 oz
1 kg = 2 pounds = 32 oz
VOLUME CONVERSIONS
Milliliters, fluid ounces and cups – general conversions.
2 tbsp = 29.57 ml = 1 fl oz
1/4 cup = 60 ml = 2 fl oz
1/3 cup = 80 ml = 2 2/3 fl oz
1/2 cup = 125 ml = 4 fl oz
2/3 cup = 160 ml = 5 1/3 fl oz
3/4 cup = 180 ml = 6 fl oz
1 cup = 250 ml = 8 1/3 fl oz
2 cups = 500 ml = 16 fl oz (1 American pint)
2 1/2 cups = 625 ml = 20 fl oz (1 Imperial pint)
4 cups = 1000 ml = 1 litre = 32 fl oz
OVEN TEMPERATURES
Celsius and Fahrenheit.
100 Celsius (C) = 212 Fahrenheit (F)
120 C = 250 F
140 C = 275 F
150 C = 300 F
160 C = 320 F
170 C = 325 F
180 C = 350 F
190 C = 375 F
200 C = 400 F
210 C = 410 F
220 C = 425 F
250 C = 480 F
SPECIFIC INGREDIENTS
Butter:
1 tablespoon = 15 grams = 1/2 ounce
100 grams = 7 tablespoons = 3 1/2 ounces
1/2 cup = 113 grams = 1 US stick = 4 ounces
1 cup = 227 grams = 2 US sticks = 8 ounces
250g = 1 AUS stick
Plain flour:
1 AUS cup = 150 grams = 5 ounces
1 US cup = 125 grams = 4 1/2 ounces
Brown sugar (loosely packed):
1 cup = 175 grams = 6.25 ounces
Brown sugar (tightly packed):
1 cup = 220 grams = 8 ounces
White sugar:
1 cup = 220 grams = 8 ounces
Caster sugar:
1 cup = 220 grams = 8 ounces
Icing sugar:
1 cup = 120 grams = 4 1/4 ounces
Chocolate chips:
1 cup = 190 grams = 6 3/4 ounces
Honey and other syrups:
1 tbsp = 21 grams = 3/4 ounce
1/4 cup = 85 grams = 3 ounces
1 cup = 340 grams = 12 ounces
Just found this. You can ignore my previous request.
Only in you conversion for flour do I see AUS vs. US cup sizes. I think this means that they are not the same. I suspect that the tablespoons are also not the same size then. Is that so? Al of the cup to tablespoon equivalents are the same, but if the size of the cup is different, then aren’t we in the US making a proportionately smaller cake with possible inaccurate results?
Incidentally, the yogurt pear cake is delicious. My granddaughter made it with apples.
The size of the cup, or the tablespoon, isn’t different. They are exactly the same.
I believe that American all purpose flour simply weighs less than Australian plain flour, as in, its lighter, even though there’s the same amount.
The same way that 1 cup of powdered sugar weighs less then 1 cup of granulated or brown sugar.
So 1 scooped and leveled cup of flour = 125g of American all purpose and 150g of Australian plain flour. So when you follow a recipe, all the cup and spoon measurements are the same, but the weight is different ONLY WITH FLOUR! Because for some reason, we have different flours!
So it is the same amount of flour, but American flour is just lighter. Does that make sense?
Its when using scales you need to be careful.
And I’m happy to hear you liked the cake!
Thanks for this. Had a recipe in an english cook book wanting me to use tablespoons of butter. The only recipe in the whole book which did so! I guessed it would be about 15g but only using the fact that 1tbsp is 15ml. Not exactly scientific. Anyeay, have now book marked this page so thanks again
You’re welcome! A tablespoon of butter is about 14 grams, if that helps
Ha! Same book, different recipe, similar prob. Recipe calls for 150 mls of soured cream that would be good if the sour cream in NZ wasnt set like a very set french yogurt (seriously, I can stand my spoon up in it). Any ideas how to attach a weight value, I think I might just use 10 tbsp as 1tbsp = 15mls, or else stop using the stupid book…
It sounds like you need to buy a scale! They make the world of difference. If you can’t mix it up and get it into a liquid measuring cup then your tablespoon idea sounds like a good one! Good luck
Hi, can we use the above oven temperature for a fan forced oven or is there a difference. Thank you!
Hi Robine! I have a fan forced oven and that’s the temperature I use. Depends how hot yours runs I guess!
Fantastic post!
Thanks a lot for publishing Conversions | Butter, I just actually had
been seeking for something similar and was relieved to come across the tips through this post.
I love you
Very useful!
one typo maybe: 500 g = 1/2 kilogram = 14 oz
should be 18 oz if 1oz = 28g?
Thanks
thanks
thanks very helpful……
You’re very welcome Shiela!
Thank you for this chart. You just made my morning MUCH easier.
You are very welcome Jodi!