Because cups and imperial measures are still used, a conversion chart to help you change recipes is below. However, even with this handy guide there are wide variations when a weight measure (scales) is converted to a volume measure (cup), the quantity being dependent on how much you pack into the cup and whether it is heaped or flat. When you convert metric to imperial there is always a little rounding up or down.
When you have a personal ‘conversion’ and decide to start weighing ingredients, be reassured that metric scales are inexpensive. Put them on your wish list and a grateful recipient of your baking may gift you a set.
TEMPERATURE CONVERSIONS
| Celsius (electric) | Celsius (fan forced) | Fahrenheit | Gas | |
| 120 | 100 | 250 | 1 | very slow |
| 150 | 130 | 300 | 2 | slow |
| 160 | 140 | 325 | 3 | moderately slow |
| 180 | 160 | 350 | 4 | moderate |
| 190 | 170 | 375 | 5 | moderately hot |
| 200 | 180 | 400 | 6 | hot |
| 230 | 210 | 450 | 7 | very hot |
| 250 | 230 | 500 | 8 | super hot |
FLUID MEASURES AND CONVERSIONS
| Metric ml | Measure | Imperial | Measure |
| 1/8 teaspoon (tsp) | Pinch | ||
| 5 ml | 1 teaspoon | ||
| 15 ml | 1 tablespoon (tbsp) | ||
| 30 ml | 1 fl oz | 2 tablespoon | |
| 60 ml | 1/4 cup | 2 fl oz | 4 tablespoon |
| 80 ml | 1/3 cup | 2.7 fl oz | |
| 100 ml | 3.4 fl oz | ||
| 125 ml | 1/2 cup | 4 fl oz | |
| 150 ml | 5 fl oz | ||
| 180 ml | ¾ cup | 6 fl oz | |
| 250 ml | 1 cup | 8 fl oz | 16 tablespoon |
| 1 litre | 4 cups | 34 fl oz |
WEIGHT CONVERSION
| Metric | Imperial |
| 10gm | 1/3 oz |
| 15gm | 1/2 oz |
| 30gm | 1 oz |
| 60gm | 2 oz |
| 125gm | 4 oz |
| 250gm | 8 oz |
| 500gm | 16 oz (1lb) |
CUP CONVERSIONS FOR METRIC
| INGREDIENT | WEIGHT | MEASURE (CUP) |
| Almonds | 150 gm | 1 cup |
| Almonds, ground | 90 gm | 1 cup |
| Beans, cooked | 440 gm | 1 ½ cup |
| Beans, dry | 200 gm | 1 cup |
| Butter | 125 gm/4 oz | 1/2 cup/ 1 stick |
| Cheese, Feta | 100 gm | 1 cup |
| Cheese, Parmesan-grated | 80 gm | 1 cup |
| Cocoa powder | 125 gm | 1 cup |
| Coconut, desiccated | 80 gm | 1 cup |
| Coconut, flour | 140 gm | 1 cup |
| Flour, wheat (white) | 140 gm | 1 cup |
| Lentils, dried | 200 gm | 1 cup |
| Liquids | 250 ml | 1 cup |
| Millet | 200 gm | 1 cup |
| Oats, rolled | 100 gm | 1 cup |
| Peanuts | 150 gm | 1 cup |
| Pecan Nuts | 130 gm | 1 cup |
| Potato, flour | 160 gm | 1 cup |
| Polenta/Cornmeal | 200 gm | 1 cup |
| Quinoa | 180 gm | 1 cup |
| Rice, uncooked | 190 gm | 1 cup |
| Rice, cooked | 150 gm | 1 cup |
| Rice, flour | 150 gm | 1 cup |
| Sugar, icing | 125 gm | 1 cup |
| Sugar, granulated | 200 gm | 1 cup |
| Sugar, brown (packed) | 200 gm | 1 cup |
| Sunflower seeds | 150 gm | 1 cup |
| Tapioca, flour | 120 gm | 1 cup |
| Tofu | 200 gm | 1 cup |
| Walnuts | 150 gm | 1 cup |
| Yeast, dried | 7 gm | 2 tsp |
FRESH TO DRIED FOOD CONVERSIONS
| Cinnamon | 1 stick | 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon |
| Garlic | 1 clove | 1/2 tsp dried garlic |
| Ginger | 1 inch piece (2 cm) | 1/2 tsp dried ginger |
| Herbs | 1 tbsp fresh | 1 tsp dried |
| Mushrooms | 500 gm fresh | 90 gm dried mushrooms |
| Peas, green – fresh or frozen | 150 gm | 1 cup |
CAKE TIN SIZES METRIC AND IMPERIAL
| 10cm tart mould | 4 inch |
| 20 cm cake tin | 8 inch |
| 23 cm cake tin | 9 inch |
| 23 x 12 cm baking dish | 13 x 9 inch |
| 22 x 33 cm baking dish | 9 x 13 inch |
| 180ml ramekin | 6 oz |
| 30ml mini muffin | 1 ½ tsp |
| 80ml regular muffin | 1/3 cup |
| 125 ml regular muffin | 1/2 cup |
| 180 ml Texas muffin | 3/4 cup |
Note the weights variations below are not accounted for above:
- US pint is 16 fl oz, while the British pint is 20 fl oz (I do not use the term pint to avoid confusion)
- Australian tablespoon is 4 teaspoons (20ml), while British/US tbsp is 3 tsp (15ml). Here I use 3 tsp per tbsp (15ml).
