US Cups to Imperial (UK) Cups Converter

Convert between US cups and Imperial (UK) cups for accurate baking. Essential when using American recipes in the UK or British recipes in the US.

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Common Baking Conversions

Weight

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour ≈ 125g
  • 1 cup granulated sugar ≈ 200g
  • 1 cup brown sugar ≈ 220g
  • 1 stick butter = 113g
  • 1 large egg ≈ 50g

Volume

  • 1 cup = 237ml = 16 tbsp
  • 1 tbsp = 3 tsp = 15ml
  • 1 fl oz = 30ml = 2 tbsp
  • 1 liter = 4.23 cups
  • 1 gallon = 3.785 liters

Temperature

  • 350°F = 175°C = Gas Mark 4
  • 375°F = 190°C = Gas Mark 5
  • 400°F = 200°C = Gas Mark 6
  • 425°F = 220°C = Gas Mark 7
  • 450°F = 230°C = Gas Mark 8

Pro tip: For accuracy in baking, always prefer weight measurements (grams) over volume measurements (cups).

US Cups vs Imperial Cups: A Critical Difference

One of the most confusing aspects of international baking is that a "cup" doesn't mean the same thing everywhere. The difference between US and Imperial (UK) cups is significant enough to ruin a recipe if not accounted for.

Key Measurements:

1 US Cup = 236.588 ml

1 Imperial Cup = 284.131 ml

Imperial cups are about 20% larger!

Quick Conversion Reference

US Cups Imperial Cups Milliliters Common Use
¼ cup 0.21 cups 59 ml Small liquid amounts
⅓ cup 0.28 cups 79 ml Oil in muffins
½ cup 0.42 cups 118 ml Milk in pancakes
1 cup 0.83 cups 237 ml Standard liquid measure
2 cups 1.66 cups 473 ml Cake batter liquids
4 cups 3.33 cups 946 ml Large batch recipes

Why This Matters for Baking

The 20% difference between US and Imperial cups can significantly affect your baking results:

Using US Cups for UK Recipe:

  • • Too little liquid = dry, crumbly texture
  • • Bread won't rise properly
  • • Cakes may be dense and heavy
  • • Cookies might not spread correctly

Using Imperial Cups for US Recipe:

  • • Too much liquid = soggy, wet texture
  • • Batter may be too thin
  • • Longer baking times needed
  • • May overflow pan sizes

Historical Context

The confusion stems from historical differences in measurement standardization:

  • United States: Standardized the cup at 8 US fluid ounces (236.588 ml) in the 19th century
  • British Empire: Used the imperial system with 1 cup = 10 imperial fluid ounces (284.131 ml)
  • Canada: Officially uses metric but recipes often use US cups
  • Australia/NZ: Use metric cups (250 ml) which are different from both!

Other Measurement Differences to Watch

Measurement US Imperial (UK) Metric
Tablespoon 14.79 ml 17.76 ml 15 ml
Teaspoon 4.93 ml 5.92 ml 5 ml
Fluid Ounce 29.57 ml 28.41 ml 30 ml (approx)
Pint 473 ml (16 fl oz) 568 ml (20 fl oz) 500 ml

Pro Tips for International Baking

  • Check the recipe source: American blogs use US cups, British sites use Imperial
  • Look for clues: If a recipe uses grams alongside cups, it's likely British/European
  • When in doubt, use weight: Grams and ounces are the same worldwide
  • Invest in both measuring cups: Or use a kitchen scale for accuracy
  • Australian recipes: Often use metric cups (250ml) - another standard entirely!

Common Recipe Conversions

For US Recipes in the UK:

Multiply US cup amounts by 0.83 to get Imperial cups

Or better yet: 1 US cup = 237ml, measure precisely

For UK Recipes in the US:

Multiply Imperial cup amounts by 1.2 to get US cups

Or: 1 Imperial cup = 284ml, use a liquid measuring cup

Frequently Asked Questions

Which countries use which system?

  • US Cups: United States, Liberia, Myanmar
  • Imperial Cups: United Kingdom (though metric is now standard)
  • Metric Cups (250ml): Australia, New Zealand, Canada (sometimes)
  • Metric only: Most of Europe, Asia, Africa, South America

What about "coffee cups" in old recipes?

Old recipes might reference "coffee cups" or "teacups" which were actual cups used for drinking. These varied wildly but were generally:

  • • Coffee cup: 150-180ml (about ¾ US cup)
  • • Teacup: 120-150ml (about ½-⅔ US cup)

Should I always convert exactly?

For most recipes, close approximations work fine. But for delicate baked goods like macarons, choux pastry, or angel food cake, precision matters more.