Baking conversions: cups to grams (UK baker's guide)

So many good recipes are written in American cups, and cups measure volume while UK baking works in weight. Because a cup of flour and a cup of sugar weigh completely different amounts, you can't use one number for everything. Here's the practical guide.

Why cups are tricky

A cup is a volume, not a weight. A cup of flour is about 125g; a cup of sugar is about 200g; a cup of butter is about 227g. Converting means knowing what's in the cup.

Common conversions

Plain/all-purpose flour: 1 cup ≈ 125g. Caster/granulated sugar: 1 cup ≈ 200g. Brown sugar (packed): 1 cup ≈ 220g. Butter: 1 cup ≈ 227g (1 stick ≈ 113g). Icing/powdered sugar: 1 cup ≈ 120g. Milk/water: 1 cup ≈ 240ml.

Spoons

1 tablespoon ≈ 15ml. 1 teaspoon ≈ 5ml. UK and US spoons are close enough not to worry for most baking.

Oven temperatures

Fahrenheit to Celsius: 350°F ≈ 180°C (160°C fan). 375°F ≈ 190°C (170°C fan). 400°F ≈ 200°C (180°C fan). 425°F ≈ 220°C (200°C fan). Fan ovens run about 20°C hotter, so drop the number by 20 for fan.

The honest summary

The real fix is scales — weigh in grams and cup confusion disappears. But when a recipe only gives cups, this guide gets you there. Save it for the next American recipe you fall for.