White flour is one of the more difficult ingredients to measure accurately by volume, because its tiny particles not only vary in shape and size, but also have a tendency to pack. In addition, the various white flours differ in density, ranging from 100 grams per cup in cake flour to approximately 150 grams per cup in all-purpose flour. This influences the number of cups obtained from various flours of the same weight. Although there is no standard weight for a cup of flour, 1 pound of all-purpose flour averages 4 cups. Read more »

The amount of sugar needed depends on its type - granulated white sugar, brown sugar, or confectioners’ sugar (powdered or icing). Measuring methods differ among these sugars, because 1 pound of each yields 2, 2 1/4, and 4 1/2 (sifted) cups respectively.

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Manufacturers of butter and margarine have made it easy to measure their products. Both usually come in 1 pound packages that contain four 1/4-pound sticks, with each stick equivalent to 1/2 cup. Read more »

Eggs range in size from “pee wee” to “jumbo”, but most standard recipes are based on “large” size eggs, if not specified. When half an egg or less is called for, it can be measured by beating a whole egg into a homogeneous liquid, which can then be divided in half or smaller increments. Read more »

Only transparent graduated measuring cups with pouring lips should be used to measure liquids. The cup should be on a flat surface and all reading done at eye level in order to accurately read the line at the bottom of the meniscus. Read more »

Correct measuring is essential to basic food preparation. The three major steps in measuring ingredients are: 

1. Approximating the amount required for a specific measurement (e.g. 4 ounces of cheese yields 1 cup shredded).
2. Selecting the right measuring utensil.
3. Accurate measuring technique.

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