Cake Flour:
Grams to Cups
By Stefan Ulrich · Last updated
Cake flour is noticeably lighter than all-purpose flour: 1 cup weighs just 100 grams, compared to 120 g for all-purpose. That 20-gram difference per cup is significant — it's why cake flour produces the most delicate, tender crumb in layer cakes, chiffon cakes, and angel food cakes.
How much Cake Flour weighs at each cup measure.
Convert Cake Flour
1 cup = 100 grams
= — grams
= — cups
Quick reference
Measurement Table
| Cups | Grams | Ounces |
|---|---|---|
| 1 tsp | 2 g | 0.07 oz |
| 1 tbsp | 6 g | 0.21 oz |
| ⅛ cup | 13 g | 0.46 oz |
| ¼ cup | 25 g | 0.88 oz |
| ⅓ cup | 33 g | 1.16 oz |
| ½ cup | 50 g | 1.76 oz |
| ⅔ cup | 67 g | 2.36 oz |
| ¾ cup | 75 g | 2.65 oz |
| 1 cup | 100 g | 3.53 oz |
| 1¼ cups | 125 g | 4.41 oz |
| 1½ cups | 150 g | 5.29 oz |
| 2 cups | 200 g | 7.05 oz |
| 3 cups | 300 g | 10.58 oz |
About Cake Flour
Cake flour's lighter weight per cup comes from its ultra-fine milling and lower protein content (6–8%). The fine particles pack less densely, which is why it floats on top rather than sinking in the bag. When you scoop cake flour, you're picking up less mass for the same volume — and if you use the all-purpose conversion by mistake, you'll end up with 20% more flour per cup than intended.
Substituting all-purpose flour for cake flour? Use 1 cup minus 2 tablespoons (= 95–100 g) of all-purpose flour, then add 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. This mimics cake flour's lower protein content reasonably well, though not perfectly.
Cake flour is typically pre-sifted before measuring, which reinforces its light weight. For recipes that call for 'sifted cake flour,' weigh the flour after sifting — your 100 g target remains the same.
Tips for measuring Cake Flour
- Always sift cake flour before measuring for best results.
- Substitute: 1 cup cake flour = ¾ cup + 2 tbsp AP flour + 2 tbsp cornstarch.
- Brands matter more with cake flour — Swans Down runs about 95 g/cup, Bob's Red Mill about 105 g/cup.
- Store in the freezer to prevent clumping in humid climates.
Common mistakes
- Using the all-purpose 120 g/cup conversion (adds 20% too much flour)
- Not sifting — unsifted cake flour behaves more like all-purpose
Frequently Asked Questions
- How many grams in a cup of Cake Flour?
- 1 cup of Cake Flour weighs 100 grams — the standard used in most American recipes. Use the converter above for any other amount.
- How many grams is 1 tablespoon of Cake Flour?
- 1 tablespoon of Cake Flour weighs about 6 grams. The full table above lists every common cup fraction.
- What's the most common mistake when measuring Cake Flour?
- Using the all-purpose 120 g/cup conversion (adds 20% too much flour). Weighing on a kitchen scale avoids it entirely.
- Should I sift Cake Flour before or after measuring?
- Measure Cake Flour first, then sift — unless the recipe says "sifted flour, then measured." Sifting after measuring keeps the gram weight predictable.