Learn How to Properly Measure Flour and stop blaming the recipe. You will end up with more success from all your recipes.
I’ve been noticing recently some people are having problems with simple baking recipes. Their breads and cakes are coming out to firm or to rubbery.
Some people have resorted to using their baked goods as a weapon. With that I jest, but you get the message.
It is super duper important to properly weigh flour when baking. So many things can go wrong otherwise and you might miss out on a really good recipe, like my famous Instant Pot Banana Nut Bread. This banana bread has taken the Instant Pot community by storm.
When I bake, I always use this Baker’s Math Scale and weigh in grams.
The measurement is much more accurate than using a Measuring Cup and Measuring Spoons.
If you don’t have a scale and want to use a standard Measuring Cup, make sure your flour is very aerated.
I keep all my Flours and Sugar in these particular Lock N Lock Square Containers to keep out the bugs. Actually, all my dry goods are kept in Lock N Lock Containers.
My cabinets and refrigerator (we use them for cold storage too) look like a Lock N Lock factory. 🙂
During storage, Flour settles.
You want to aerate to make it very light. So, either shake your container, or take a spoon and mix up the Flour.
Never, ever, ever, stick your Measuring Cup into the bag or container of Flour and “scoop up a cup.”
Never. Do you know how much that scooped cup weighs? I’ll show you down below.
That in and of itself, may just be the reason you are having very heavy breads and cakes.
Try this method in my Pressure Cooker Grandma Mill’s Banana Nut Bread recipe and let me know if your Banana Bread comes out perfect.
To properly measure Flour using a Measuring Cup, use a spoon and sprinkle the Flour into the Measuring Cup. That will get you pretty close to the actual weight of 125 grams.
The King Arthur Flour sites says there are 120 grams of All Purpose Flour to one measuring cup of All Purpose Flour.
Most bakers use 125 grams as a one cup measurement.
While I love and only use King Arthur All Purpose Flour, the 125 grams/one cup measurement, has always worked for me.
Continue sprinkling in the Flour, until your Measuring Cup is full.
You can see how light and airy the Flour appears. It will look very similar to sifted Flour.
Using a Butter Knife, run the knife across the Measuring Cup and level the excess Flour back into the container or bag of Flour.
A “cup” of flour should weigh 125 grams/4.40 ounces, so let’s see how we did.
Most, if not all bakers that I follow, also use the weight of 125 grams for a one cup bulk measurement.
If you prefer to measure in ounces, the weight in ounces is 4.41, which interestingly enough, is what the King Arthur websites says.
My Baker’s Math Scale is on 0.00 grams.
To see how much the Flour in the Measuring Cup weighs, Tar out the Scale back to Zero.
Let’s weigh the Flour we just sprinkled into the Measuring Cup.
The Flour weighs exactly 125 grams. Now, I have been weighing my flour for many years, so I hit it right on the money.
Without a scale, you may be a gram or two over or under.
That small amount won’t matter. Now, let’s see how much a “cup” of Flour weighs doing it the wrong way.
Whoa!!! That is quite a significant difference.
Now, imagine a recipe that calls for three cups of Flour, that is almost a whole cup more Flour than needed.
Now that you have learned How to Properly Measure Flour, I bet you will have much better results with all your baking! I’d love to know how your baked goods come out with this method.
More Baked Goods Recipes you will LOVE:
- Choco-Spice Layer Cake w/Mocha Buttercream Frosting
- Pressure Cooker Buttermilk Sugar Pie Pumpkin Bread
- Instant Pot Banana Nut Bread (Grandma Mills)
- Simply Delicious Buttermilk Banana Bread
I would love to hear from you after you try this method. Please, if you feel like it, let me know in the comments section below.
Happy Baking!
Kitchen Equipment and Essentials
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Here is the handy printable recipe:
Ingredients
Instructions
- Shake or mix your flour to aerate.
- With a spoon, sprinkle flour into your measuring cup.
- When full, use the back of a knife to level the flour.
Donna Anderson says
Hi Jill,
I just found your Web site after lots of frustration why my bread receipes ,dough being to lax and not wanting to add to much extra flour , I use King Arthur Flour and they say 120gr but it seems like I was having to add more flour about 15 extra grams at least so that would bring up my cup to 125 like you say, but because I was already adding more flour I was afraid to add more but my doughs ended up being to lax so I beleive if I use your measurement of 125 to begin with and then any adjustment I think it will bring my dough where it needs to be I am so glad I found your Web site will try my bread once again , I have been using all purpose now bread flour but all the same problem which flour fo you recommend? Thank You Donna
Frances says
Jil recently I was told that flaxseed would help with diabetes. If you use this with flour do you weigh it the same or add it to the flour then weigh it. I cook for my parents and my Dad is 91 and a diabetic so I want to help him all I can. Thanks
Jill Selkowitz says
Hi Frances. It depends on what you are making. I would add it in and perhaps a little more liquid. Jill
Phyllis Antosz says
Thank you, didn’t know that I have been measuring wrong all these years. Will be doing it right now. Thank you again for all that you do. We are blessed
Jill Selkowitz says
Thank YOU, Phyllis. Jill
Paul E Raia says
Great tutorial!!! Who knew, I’ve been doing it wrong all these years, thanks Jill.
Jill Selkowitz says
Thanks, Paul. Jill
Ingrid Kampe says
I do not have a scale. Can I just sift the flour?