Introduction
Hi!! & Welcome to my simple guide to measuring baking ingredients accurately! 🙂
If you’re new to cooking and/or baking, this is where you should start!
Measuring ingredients accurately is crucial, especially in baking where some extra flour can totally ruin the end result!
So how do you keep that from happening?
The easiest way is to measure your ingredients is to use a kitchen scale (which is why I also provide measurements in grams). That’s what professional bakers and cooks use because it’s quick and always accurate: 20 g are always going to be 20 grams.
But, if you don’t have a scale and don’t plan on getting one, here’s how you can measure your ingredients correctly using regular measuring cups!
How Do You Measure Dry Ingredients? – flours, white sugar, etc.
Scooping ingredients out of their containers leads to using up to 50% more than necessary! So please do not scoop your ingredients 🙁 .
Use the spoon and level method instead!
Use a spoon to scoop the ingredients into a dry measuring cup until heaping, then use the back of the spoon or a knife to level off the top of the measuring cup. This method works for flours, white granulated sugar, powdered sugar, cornstarch, cocoa powder, chocolate chips, sprinkles, etc!
Do not pack the ingredients down or shake/tap the measuring cup while filling the cup!
💡 For sifted dry ingredients: if the recipe calls for “1 cup flour, sifted” spoon and level the flour into your measuring cup and then sift it. If the recipe calls for “1 cup sifted flour” sift the flour and then spoon and level it into your measuring cup.
How Do You Measure Brown Sugar?
Brown sugar is a pretty peculiar ingredient because of its moist texture! You should always pack it into your measuring cup and then press it down using a spoon or your hands.
When you turn it out, it should hold the shape of the cup.
How Do You Measure Yeast?
For dry yeast, usually, each packet contains exactly 2 and 1/4 teaspoon of dry yeast (which is 0.25 oz or 7 g) and that’s the amount of yeast that most recipes call for. If you need more than that, use the spoon and level method with a measuring spoon.
For fresh yeast, you absolutely need a scale. You can’t effectively use the spoon and level method with it because fresh yeast is soft and packing into a measuring spoon wouldn’t give you a correct measurement.
💡 How to use yeast: I recommend going through my Beginner's Guide to Baking with Yeast a very in-depth guide on how to work with yeast! I wrote that guide to answer all the questions you might have regarding yeast 🙂 .
How Do You Measure Baking Powder And Baking Soda?
Baking powder and baking soda tend to settle over time so I recommend giving them a good stir and then using the spoon and level method with a measuring spoon!
How Do You Measure Liquid Ingredients Correctly?
You should always use a liquid measuring cup when measuring liquids. It sounds kinda obvious but I was once a beginner and I totally didn’t know this!
So milk, water, juice, etc should be poured into a liquid measuring cup and measured at eye level. Make sure to place your measuring cup on a flat surface when doing this.
The only exceptions are thick liquids like honey, corn syrup, maple syrup, yogurt, jam, peanut butter, sour cream, etc. These should be measured in dry measuring cups.
💡 Tip: use a silicone spatula to help you get the ingredients out of the cups!
How Do You Measure Butter Correctly?
Butter is usually sold in sticks (or blocks, depending on the country) and the wrapping on each stick indicates tablespoon measures.
Most recipes call for sticks or tbsp, so simply slice off however much you need!
If you feel like the measurement on the wrapping isn’t precise (not every brand is) or your recipe calls for a different amount, use a dry measuring cup to measure it. I personally always stick to a kitchen scale for butter because it’s a lot less messy, especially during spring and summer.
💡For melted butter: if the recipe calls for melted butter, measure it, then melt it.
This is all for today’s cooking guide! You can check out my Cooking Tips section for more tips!
If you have any questions or doubts, feel free to leave them down below and I’ll be with you asap!! 💘
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