How to Measure

I was told by my ex-colleague who is quite an expert in baking now that having the right amount of ingredients is crucial. She even advised me to get a digital weighing machine instead of the needle scale.

In baking, measuring accurately is critical to the success of the recipe. Unlike cooking where you can vary amounts more and the end result will still be good.

Have extracted & summarised the info below from About.com: Busy Cooks

Flour
Using a large spoon, lightly spoon flour from the container into the measuring cup. Do not shake the cup and do not pack the flour. Using the back of a knife or flat blade spatula, level off the flour even with the top edge of the measuring cup. Don't use the measuring cup to scoop the flour out of the container. You can end up with 150% of the correct measurement if you do this! One cup of correctly measured flour should weigh about 112g.

Baking powder and Baking Soda
Stir in the container. Using the measuring spoon, lightly scoop out of the container. Use that knife to level off even with the top edge of the measuring spoon.

Sugar
Sugar is measured by scooping the cup or measuring spoon into the container or bag until it is overflowing, then leveling off with the back of a knife.

Brown Sugar
This needs to be packed into the measuring cup. The sugar should retain the shape of the cup when it is dropped into the other ingredients.

Powdered Sugar
Powdered sugar usually needs to be sifted to remove small lumps. It is measured by spooning the sugar into the measuring cup from the container, then leveling off with the back of a knife.

Liquid Ingredients:
Using the liquid measuring cup, pour the liquid into the cup. Then bend over so you are on the same level with the measuring marks. The liquid should be right at the mark, not above or below.

Shortening and Solid Fats
Butter and margarine have measuring amounts marked on the sides of the paper wrapping. One quarter pound stick of butter or margarine equals 1/2 cup. Solid shortening is measured by packing it into a cup so there are no air spaces, then leveling off with the knife. To easily remove fats from baking cups, spray them with a nonstick cooking spray before measuring. You can also use the liquid displacement method for measuring solid fats. For instance, if you want 1/2 cup of shortening, fill a liquid measuring cup with 1/2 cup of cold water. Then add shortening until the water level reaches 1 cup when you look at it at eye level. Pour out the water and use the shortening. Oil is measured as a liquid.

Liquid Ingredients in Spoons:
Make sure that you don't measure small amounts of liquid ingredients over the mixing bowl as it's just too easy to spill.

Dry Ingredients in Spoons:
Ingredients measured in these small amounts still have to be measured carefully. Overfill the measuring spoons and level off using the back of a knife for the most accurate amounts. Accurate amounts of ingredients like baking soda and powder are critical to the success of any baked product.

Dry Ingredient Equivalents:
1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons = 15 ml
1/8 cup = 2 tablespoons = 30 ml
1/4 cup = 4 tablespoons = 50 ml
1/3 cup = 5-1/3 tablespoons = 75 ml
1/2 cup 8 = tablespoons = 125 ml
2/3 cup = 10-2/3 tablespoons = 150 ml
3/4 cup = 12 tablespoons = 175 ml
1 cup = 16 tablespoons = 250 ml

Wet Ingredient Equivalents:
1 cup = 8 fluid ounces = 227 ml
2 cups = 16 fluid ounces = 454 ml
4 cups = 32 fluid ounces = 908 ml
8 cups = 64 fluid ounces = 1816ml