How Many Tablespoons Are in a Cup?
One US cup contains exactly 16 tablespoons. That breaks down cleanly: 1/2 cup is 8 tablespoons, 1/4 cup is 4 tablespoons, and 3/4 cup is 12 tablespoons. The tricky one is 1/3 cup, which doesn't divide evenly — it comes to 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon. Since 1 tablespoon equals 3 teaspoons, a full cup also equals 48 teaspoons.
A US cup is 236.59 ml. UK and metric cups are slightly different — a UK cup is 250 ml — so always check which system your recipe uses, especially with baked goods where small differences matter.
Cups to Grams: Why the Ingredient Matters
Cups measure volume. Grams measure weight. A cup of feathers and a cup of lead occupy the same space, but their weights are wildly different. The same principle applies in your kitchen: 1 cup of all-purpose flour weighs about 125 g, but 1 cup of honey weighs 340 g — almost three times as much.
That's why professional bakers weigh ingredients. A recipe that calls for "2 cups of flour" can easily mean anywhere from 220 g to 280 g depending on whether the flour is scooped, sifted, or spooned. For consistent results, weigh your flour and sugar — or at least use the spoon-and-level method.
How to Measure Flour the Right Way
The most reliable volume method is spoon and level: stir the flour in its container to loosen it, spoon it gently into your measuring cup until it overflows, then sweep the excess off with a straight edge. Don't pack it down, don't tap the cup, and don't scoop directly from the bag — scooping compresses the flour and can add 20–30 grams of extra weight per cup.
Every cups-to-grams value on this site assumes flour measured by the spoon-and-level method. If you scoop directly, expect your bakes to come out denser and drier.
Cooking Conversion FAQ
How many tablespoons are in a cup?+
There are 16 tablespoons in 1 cup. One cup also equals 48 teaspoons, 8 fluid ounces, and 236.59 milliliters. For common fractions, 1/2 cup equals 8 tablespoons, 1/4 cup equals 4 tablespoons, and 1/3 cup equals 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon. These measurements are the same whether you are measuring a liquid or a dry ingredient by volume.
How many grams is a cup of flour?+
One cup of all-purpose flour weighs 125 grams when measured using the spoon-and-level method. Bread flour is slightly heavier at 127 grams per cup. Cake flour is lighter at 100 grams per cup. Whole wheat flour weighs 120 grams per cup. These values assume you spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off — scooping directly from the bag packs the flour and can add 20 to 30 extra grams per cup.
What is 350 degrees Fahrenheit in Celsius?+
350 degrees Fahrenheit equals 176.67 degrees Celsius, which most recipes round to 175C or 180C. On a gas oven, 350F corresponds to Gas Mark 4. This is the most common baking temperature and is used for standard cakes, brownies, chocolate chip cookies, and most everyday baked goods.
How many cups is 250 grams?+
250 grams equals different cup amounts depending on the ingredient. For all-purpose flour, 250 grams equals 2 cups. For granulated sugar, 250 grams equals 1.25 cups or 1 cup plus 4 tablespoons. For butter, 250 grams equals approximately 1.1 cups or just over 2 sticks. Cups measure volume, not weight, so the gram equivalent always depends on the ingredient's density.
How many teaspoons are in a tablespoon?+
There are 3 teaspoons in 1 tablespoon. This is one of the most used conversions in cooking. One tablespoon equals 3 teaspoons, 1/16 of a cup, and approximately 14.79 milliliters. When a recipe calls for 1 tablespoon and you only have a teaspoon measure, use 3 level teaspoons to get the exact same amount.
How do I scale a recipe for more or fewer servings?+
To scale a recipe, divide the desired servings by the original servings to get your scaling factor, then multiply every ingredient amount by that factor. For example, to double a recipe for 4 that serves 8, your scaling factor is 2 and every ingredient amount doubles. For odd measurements like 3 eggs, round to the nearest whole egg or use a partial egg for precision. The recipe scaler on this site handles all the math automatically for any number of servings.
Does it matter which cup size I use for cooking measurements?+
Yes. US recipes use a standard cup of 236.59 milliliters. Metric cups used in Australia, Canada, and some other countries equal 250 milliliters, which is about 5 percent larger. If you are following a US recipe with an Australian cup measure, your ingredient amounts will be slightly higher than intended. The difference is small enough not to matter for most savory cooking but can affect baking results where precision is important.