Did I measure correctly?

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Julio

Senior Cook
Joined
Jun 3, 2009
Messages
268
Location
Bronx, NY
Hello,

My sister was making cookies and the recipe called for 3/4 cup of packed brown sugar. I looked at a measuring cup ( Liquid ) = 6 ounces. I took my scale and I weight the sugar to 6 ounces. I'm wondering if this was correct?
 
Volume measurements do not equal weight measurements, so 6 oz of volume that you measured in your measuring cup would not equal 6 oz of weight.
1 cup firmly-packed brown sugar (light or dark) equals 7 ounces, so 3/4 cup would equal about 5.25 oz.
Here's a chart for future reference:
Questions and Answers - British Cooking Equivalent vs. American Cookine Equivalents

Also, glass measuring cups should be used for liquid measurements only, and the rounded stainless steel or plastic ones for dry ingredients:
http://www.amazon.com/Cuisipro-Stainless-Steel-Measuring-Cups-Spoon/dp/B00009V4BQ
 
Last edited:
Thanks Merstar,

My sister was packing the brown sugar into the 1 cup inside it has the 3/4 marking she wasn't packing it right so I told her to use a glass measuring cup. I should have used a small can to push the sugar down to the 3/4 cup measurement.
 
Thanks Merstar,

My sister was packing the brown sugar into the 1 cup inside it has the 3/4 marking she wasn't packing it right so I told her to use a glass measuring cup. I should have used a small can to push the sugar down to the 3/4 cup measurement.

When you are baking, you really should use the measures that Merstar describes for dry ingredients. You want to be able to fill the measure to the top and level it with something straight, like the back of a knife.

For 3/4 cup you would use a 1/4 cup dry measure cup and a 1/2 cup dry measure cup.

Brown sugar should be pushed firmly into the measure.
 
In all the truth the only right way to measure ingredients for baking is to weight them. Volueme is never going to be the same, never.
 
Of, course it is because the resipe doesn't have to be that presise, it is not medication after all. But if you want the recipe repeate time after time after time you have to do everything exactly the same and you cannot get that by volume. You have to measure. That is why comercial stuff is all by weight.
 
Thanks Merstar,

My sister was packing the brown sugar into the 1 cup inside it has the 3/4 marking she wasn't packing it right so I told her to use a glass measuring cup. I should have used a small can to push the sugar down to the 3/4 cup measurement.

You're very welcome, Julio.
 
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