If you love sugary treats, knowing about the measurements of sugar becomes essential.
Some recipes call for sugar in ounces, while others require cup measurements.
Have you ever wondered how much a cup of sugar weighs? Learning this information helps when you need to follow a recipe and do not have a scale.
How Much Does One Cup of Sugar Weigh?
One cup of sugar weighs about 200 grams or 7.1 ounces. The weight of sugar will vary slightly depending on the moisture level, how tightly you packed the sugar in the measuring cup, and the type of sugar.
Moist sugar will weigh just a little more than dry sugar because it contains the added weight of water. Sugar can pick up water in the air, and some sugars are more hydrated than others.
You will find a cup of sugar can measure differently on different days. The differences should not be enough to ruin a recipe, so don’t worry.
How Much Does One Cup of Brown Sugar Weigh?
Because the molasses have not been removed, brown sugar is just a little heavier than its white counterpart, at 220 grams or 7.8 ounces.
When cooking with brown sugar, its heaviness creates a denser baked product, but you can often use brown sugar interchangeably with white.
You can buy brown sugar in light and dark. Light brown sugar has less molasses than dark brown sugar.
The added moisture from the molasses makes moister baked products, especially cakes and cookies.
How Much Does a Cup of Powdered Sugar Weigh?
Powdered sugar is much lighter than other forms of sugar. The density is about 20% less than white granulated sugar.
Powdered sugar has been pulverized into a smooth, fine powder, and manufacturers add cornstarch to the mix to make it light and airy.
A cup of powdered sugar weighs 115 grams or 4.1 ounces. Like with other sugars, this measurement can vary depending on the moisture level in the powdered sugar and whether it is loosely or tightly packed.
How Much Does One Cup of Turbinado Sugar Weigh?
Turbinado is not as popular as other sugars but offers a delightful sweet taste. Some people prefer using turbinado for baking because it is less processed.
You will find the granules of turbinado are much larger than white and brown sugar.
A cup of turbinado sugar weighs about 213 grams or about 7.5 ounces. Turbinado sugar is raw cane sugar and is a golden color.
This sugar is a perfect addition of sweet crunch to the top of muffins, cookies, and cakes.
How Much Does a Cup of Caster Sugar Weigh?
Many people mistakenly think caster sugar is the same as powdered sugar, but this is untrue. Caster sugar is finely ground granulated sugar but still has grit, unlike powdered sugar.
A cup of caster sugar weighs around 225 grams or 7.9 ounces. People use caster sugar in baked goods, but it also makes an excellent cocktail.
You can substitute caster sugar for simple syrup in mixed drinks.
How Much Does a Cup of Muscovado Sugar Weigh?
Muscovado sugar is minimally refined and one of the most natural sources of sugar available. Many people call this sugar “raw.”
Because it is unrefined, this sugar still has molasses.
A cup of muscovado sugar weighs about 200 grams or 7 ounces. Muscovado sugar has a dark brown color and a moist texture.
It tastes like toffee and adds richness to many baked sweet dishes.
Tips for Measuring Sugar Correctly
Granulated sugar and powdered sugar are measured in the same way. The most accurate method of measuring these sugars is to spoon them into the measuring cup.
You can also scoop the dry measuring cup into a large bag of sugar as shown in the video below.
You can then level the cup of sugar with a flat edge, like a butter knife.
Measuring brown sugar is just slightly different. Unless noted otherwise in the recipe, brown sugar is always measured when packed tightly into the measuring cup. Press the sugar into the measuring cup using the back of a spoon.
The sugar should hold the shape of the measuring cup when dumped out if you packed it tightly enough.
Sugar Makes Life Sweeter
Baking and cooking with sugar make life much sweeter. Knowing the weight of a cup of sugar helps you be more precise in following recipes.
With the information above, you should have no trouble following any recipe and using all types of sugars.