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Baking MeasurementsHistorical Weights And Measures For BakingBaking measurements were important to 19-century cooks. Most homes did not have the luxury of weigh scales and some didn't even have measuring containers. Thus, ingredient quantities were often estimated. And if the weight of one ingredient was known, the weight of another could sometimes be guessed. For instance, if 1 cup of butter, pressed down, equals one-half pound, you could estimate that 1 cup of lard would also equal about one-half pound. The quantity will be close enough for most dessert recipes. So, if some of the quantities called for in the old-fashioned dessert recipes seem unclear, simply refer to these historical baking measurements. And if you're still unsure, you can always do what Grandma did, she simply took an "educated guess." Table Of Old Fashioned Baking MeasurementsMeasures Are Level Unless Otherwise Indicated25 drops of any thin liquid = 1 teaspoonful 1 pinch of salt or sugar = 4-1/2 grains or less than 1/8 teaspoonful 1 tablespoonful of salt = 1 ounce 8 rounded tablespoonfuls of granulated sugar = 1 cupful 2 cupfuls of granulated sugar = 1 pound 1-1/2 coffee-cupfuls of granulated sugar = 1 pound 1 pint of granulated sugar = 1 pound 2-2/4 cupfuls of powdered sugar = 1 pound 2 coffee-cupfuls of powdered sugar = 1 pound 1-1/3 pints of powdered sugar = 1 pound 3-1/2 cupfuls of confectioner's sugar = 1 pound 2-1/2 cupfuls of best brown sugar = 1 pound 1-3/4 coffee-cupfuls of best brown sugar = 1 pound 1 pint of best brown sugar = 13 ounces 3 tablespoonfuls of grated chocolate = 1 ounce 4-1/3 cupfuls of coffee = 1 pound 2 teaspoonfuls of flour, heaped = 1 tablespoonful 4 tablespoonfuls of flour = 1 ounce 7 to 8 rounded tablespoonfuls of flour = 1 cupful 4 cupfuls of pastry or bread flour = 1 pound 3 coffee-cupfuls of sifted flour = 1 pound 1 quart of sifted flour, heaped = 1 pound 1 quart of unsifted flour = 1 pound 1 ounce 3-7/8 cupfuls of whole wheat flour = 1 pound 2-2/3 cupfuls of corn meal = 1 pound 4-1/2 cupfuls of graham flour = 1 pound 4-1/8 cupfuls of rye flour = 1 pound 4-3/4 cupfuls of rolled oats = 1 pound 2-2/3 cupfuls of oat meal = 1 pound 3-1/2 cupfuls of Indian meal = 1 quart 2-3/4 coffee-cupfuls of Indian meal = 1 quart 1 quart of sifted Indian meal = 1 pound 4 ounces 6 tablespoonfuls of baking powder = 1/2 ounce 16 tablespoonfuls of any dry ingredient = 1 cup Butter the size of a walnut = 1 ounce Butter the size of an egg = 2 ounces 1 tablespoonful of soft butter, well rounded = 1 ounce 4 tablespoonfuls of soft butter, heaped = 1 cupful 1 cupful of butter, pressed down = 1/2 pound 2 cupfuls of butter, pressed down = 1 pound 1 pint of soft butter = 1 pound 2 cupfuls of lard = 1 pound 2 cupfuls of finely chopped meat = 1 pound 1 pint of finely chopped meat = 1 pound 10 ordinary-sized eggs = 1 pound 9 large-sized eggs = 1 pound 2 cupfuls of milk = 1 pound 1-7/8 cupfuls of rice = 1 pound 3 cupfuls of raisins = 1 pound 2 cupfuls of raisins, packed = 1 pound 2-1/4 cupfuls of currents = 1 pound 2 cupfuls of stale bread crumbs = 1 pound 40 small prunes = 1 pound 28 large prunes = 1 pound 75 apricot pieces = 1 pound 3 large bananas = one pound Quick Metric Equivalents1 ounce = 28.4 grams1 pound = 0.5 kilograms 1 pint = 0.568 liters 1 quart = 1.136 liters 
Historical weights and measures can still be of help in today's modern kitchens. The baking measurements above will prove useful when trying Grandma's old fashioned dessert recipes.And if you are wondering about the size of a "saltspoon" or how many "gills" are in a cupful, then refer to the Table of Cooking Measures. TOP of Baking Measurements RETURN to Basic Cooking Tips HOME to Dessert Recipes
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