Depending on the type of flour used, 500 grammes of all-purpose flour is roughly equivalent to four cups. You can convert between cups and grammes by dividing the number of grammes by 125. However, because grammes measure weight and cups measure volume, different substances convert between the two units at different rates. Even other types of flour, such as whole wheat or rye, may convert at different rates due to weight differences.
Particularly when it comes to flour, baking measurements are not always as simple as they appear. These tips will ensure that you use exactly the right amount of flour in the kitchen, neither more nor less.
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Cups for Measuring Flour
While having the precise amount of flour in a recipe may not seem like a big deal, getting it wrong can ruin even the best recipes. Too much flour can result in cookies that are dense and crumbly rather than soft and chewy, as well as dense bread.
Despite the importance of measuring flour, many cooks continue to make mistakes. Because scooping flour for measurements tends to compact it, you may end up with up to 50 percent more than you need. Instead, you should either carefully pour or, better yet, lightly spoon in the flour. In either case, you should fill the cup beyond the desired level before levelling it with the back of a knife or another tool. You may need to do this a second time, and you should avoid shaking or patting the cup, which can compact the flour. Consider gently stirring the flour to eliminate lumps and ensure there is not more flour in the cup than the recipe calls for.
Sifting presents its own unique challenges. While a cup of flour, sifted indicates that the flour should be measured and then sifted, a sifted cup of flour indicates that the flour should be sifted before it is measured. Sifting can introduce more air into the flour, so a cup of sifted flour will likely contain more flour than a cup of sifted flour.
The Benefits of Measuring Flour by Weight
While it is more common in the United States to measure flour by volume (cups), measuring by weight (grammes or other units) is typically more accurate because it does not matter whether the flour is loose or packed. If you don’t have a scale or are willing to purchase one, it may be more convenient to use measuring cups. However, if you have a scale or are willing to purchase one, it is generally preferable.
In the same way that a cup of all-purpose flour contains 125 grammes (or 4 12 ounces), there are also handy approximations for other types of flour. One cup is approximately equivalent to 115 grammes or 4 ounces of sifted all-purpose flour; 130 grammes or 4 12 ounces of bread flour; 121 grammes or 4 14 ounces of sifted bread flour; 115 grammes or 4 ounces of cake flour; or 100 grammes or 3 12 ounces of sifted cake flour.
Dry versus Liquid Measurement
You may believe that all measuring cups can be used equally well for dry and liquid ingredients, but this is not the case. A liquid measuring cup leaves a bit of space between the top of the cup and the final measurement to prevent spills, whereas a dry measuring cup does not. If you use a dry measuring cup for a liquid and fill it to the final measurement, some of the liquid will likely spill over the side, while if you use a liquid measuring cup for something like flour, you won’t be able to pour in a heaping amount of flour and skim off the top with a knife for a precise measurement. It may seem silly, but having one of each is necessary to prevent messes and excessive flour usage.