Why cups don't convert to grams the same way
Cups measure volume; grams measure weight. Because ingredients have different densities, one cup of all-purpose flour is about 125 g, but one cup of granulated sugar is about 200 g and a cup of honey is around 340 g. That's why a good converter needs to know the ingredient — a plain "1 cup = X grams" rule only works for water.
Common conversions
- 1 cup = 16 tablespoons = 48 teaspoons = 240 ml
- 1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons = 15 ml
- 1 ounce (weight) = 28.35 g · 1 fluid ounce = 29.6 ml
- Flour ≈ 125 g/cup · Sugar ≈ 200 g/cup · Butter ≈ 227 g/cup · Rice ≈ 185 g/cup
Tips for baking accuracy
- For baking, weigh ingredients in grams when you can — it's far more consistent than cups.
- Spoon flour into the cup and level it; scooping packs it and adds up to 20% more.
- Brown sugar is usually measured packed, so it's denser than granulated.
US cup or metric cup?
This uses the US cup (240 ml). A metric cup is 250 ml and an imperial (UK) cup is ~284 ml, so results differ slightly.
Are the gram values exact?
They're solid averages — real density varies with brand, humidity and how you pack the cup. For baking, a kitchen scale beats any conversion.