Question 1

Why does a cup of flour weigh less than a cup of sugar?

Accepted Answer

Flour is loose, with a density of 0.55–0.65 g/ml; sugar is denser at 0.8–0.85 g/ml. Same volume, different mass. In recipes a "cup" means a volume, not a weight: 1 cup of flour ≈ 150 g but 1 cup of sugar ≈ 200 g — a 33% difference.

Question 2

Why shouldn't I pack flour down when measuring?

Accepted Answer

Recipe densities assume loose, un-packed flour. Packing increases density by 20–30%, giving dry, crumbly dough with too much flour. The correct way is to spoon it in and level off without pressing.

Question 3

How many tablespoons of oil are in 100 grams?

Accepted Answer

Sunflower oil has a density of ≈ 0.93 g/ml, so 100 g = 100 / 0.93 ≈ 107.5 ml. At 18 ml per tablespoon, that is about 6 tablespoons. Softened butter (≈ 0.86 g/ml) gives roughly 7 tablespoons per 100 g.

Question 4

What does "a pinch" or "tip of a knife" actually mean?

Accepted Answer

A three-finger pinch is about 0.3–0.5 g of salt or 0.1–0.2 g of spice. A knife tip is about 0.5–1 g. A level teaspoon (≈ 5 ml) holds about 5–7 g of salt. For precise baking, use scales rather than spoons.

Question 5

How do I weigh accurately without scales?

Accepted Answer

Use a measuring cup (250 ml) together with a density table — you can stay within 5–10% if you measure properly. Yeast needs scales for accuracy. For soups and stews, eyeballing is fine; for yeast dough or sponge cake, only scales will do.

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