This cheat sheet pulls the most useful baking conversions into one place, separated by what they actually measure: volume, mass (weight), temperature, and pan size. The biggest source of conversion errors is mixing these categories up — especially confusing fluid ounces with weight ounces. Use the tables below as quick references, and remember that any conversion involving cups and grams depends on the ingredient.
Volume equivalents
These are exact relationships between US volume units. They hold for any liquid or any dry ingredient measured by volume.
| Volume | Equivalent |
|---|---|
| 3 teaspoons | 1 tablespoon |
| 1 tablespoon | 3 teaspoons = 15 ml |
| 4 tablespoons | 1/4 cup |
| 5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon | 1/3 cup |
| 8 tablespoons | 1/2 cup |
| 12 tablespoons | 3/4 cup |
| 16 tablespoons | 1 cup |
| 1 cup | 8 fluid ounces = 240 ml (approx.) |
| 2 cups | 1 pint = 16 fluid ounces |
| 4 cups | 1 quart = 32 fluid ounces |
| 4 quarts | 1 gallon |
Mass (weight) equivalents
These relationships between weight units are exact and do not depend on the ingredient.
| Mass | Equivalent |
|---|---|
| 1 ounce | 28.35 grams |
| 16 ounces | 1 pound = 453.6 grams |
| 1 kilogram | 1000 grams = 2.2 pounds |
| 1 pound | 0.45 kilograms |
Fluid ounces versus weight ounces
This is the conversion trap to watch for. A fluid ounce measures volume; an ounce can measure weight. They are only equal for water and liquids close to water's density. Eight fluid ounces of honey weighs far more than eight ounces; eight fluid ounces of whipped cream weighs far less. When a recipe says "8 oz," check whether it means a volume measure (a cup) or a weight measure (a scale reading). The Swift Recipe Converter treats "fl oz" as volume and "oz" as weight, so use the unit that matches your recipe.
Temperature equivalents
Oven temperatures convert between Fahrenheit and Celsius. Values are rounded to the nearest common setting.
| Fahrenheit | Celsius | Gas mark |
|---|---|---|
| 275°F | 135°C | 1 |
| 300°F | 150°C | 2 |
| 325°F | 165°C | 3 |
| 350°F | 175°C | 4 |
| 375°F | 190°C | 5 |
| 400°F | 200°C | 6 |
| 425°F | 220°C | 7 |
| 450°F | 230°C | 8 |
Common pan sizes and approximate batter capacity
Pan capacity is approximate and depends on how deep you fill the pan. Use these as a rough guide for matching pans when scaling.
| Pan | Approx. area | Approx. batter |
|---|---|---|
| 8 x 8 inch | 64 sq in | 8 cups |
| 9 x 9 inch | 81 sq in | 10 cups |
| 9 x 13 inch | 117 sq in | 14-15 cups |
| 8-inch round | 50 sq in | 3.5-4 cups |
| 9-inch round | 64 sq in | 5-6 cups |
| 10-inch round | 79 sq in | 6-8 cups |
Editorial note: pan capacities vary by depth and manufacturer; treat these as approximate. For pan-area math, see our wedding cake math guide.
Metric conversion cautions and rounding
Converting a volume unit to another volume unit, or a weight unit to another weight unit, is exact. Converting between volume and weight is not — it requires the ingredient's density, so there is no single cup-to-gram value that works for all ingredients. A cup of flour (about 120 g) and a cup of sugar (about 200 g) are not interchangeable. When you do convert, round to practical kitchen fractions or to the nearest gram for small quantities and the nearest 5 grams for larger ones. Rounding too aggressively on small, potent amounts (like a fraction of a teaspoon of spice) can change the result, so keep small strong-ingredient measurements precise. For ingredient-specific weights, see our grams-to-cups guide.
Key takeaways
- Volume-to-volume and weight-to-weight conversions are exact; volume-to-weight conversions depend on the ingredient.
- Fluid ounces measure volume and ounces can measure weight — they are equal only for water.
- Match pans by area and capacity, not by dimensions alone.
- Round converted values to practical kitchen amounts, but keep small strong-ingredient quantities precise.
Related reading
- Grams to Cups: The Complete Conversion Guide
- Halving and Doubling Recipes: The Baker's Essential Math
- Wedding Cake Math: Scaling Recipes for Tiered Cakes
Sources and further reading
- NIST, Metric (SI) Units
- King Arthur Baking Company, Ingredient Weight Chart
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