2 Cups Caster Sugar in Grams
2 cups of caster sugar weighs 380 g (spooned and levelled, King Arthur Baking). That single number is the whole point of this page, but the reason it matters is that cups measure volume and recipes live or die by weight. Caster Sugar is one of those ingredients where a cup can hide a surprisingly wide range of weights, so converting to grams takes the guesswork out. Every figure on this page is approximate and comes from the King Arthur Baking value for caster sugar, so when a recipe really matters, verify with a kitchen scale.
Why weighing caster sugar beats scooping it
Caster Sugar is the kind of ingredient where the cup method quietly fails. A cup is a volume measure, and the weight of a volume depends on how tightly the ingredient is packed, how fine it is, and even how humid the kitchen is. Two people filling the same cup of caster sugar can easily end up with weights several grams apart, and in a recipe that calls for 2 cups, that difference doubles. Grams remove the variable entirely: 380 g of caster sugar is 380 g of caster sugar in any kitchen, on any day, in any hands. That is why professional recipes are written in grams, and why converting your cup measurements is the single cheapest upgrade you can make to your cooking. You do not need expensive equipment — a basic digital scale that reads to the gram costs less than a bag of good flour and pays for itself the first time a cake comes out right.
Caster Sugar cups to grams conversion table
| Cups | Grams | Tablespoons (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| 1/4 cup | 47.5 g | 3 g |
| 1/3 cup | 63.3 g | 4 g |
| 1/2 cup | 95 g | 5.9 g |
| 2/3 cup | 126.7 g | 7.9 g |
| 3/4 cup | 142.5 g | 8.9 g |
| 1 cup | 190 g | 11.9 g |
| 1 1/2 cups | 285 g | 17.8 g |
| 2 cups | 380 g | 23.8 g |
| 3 cups | 570 g | 35.6 g |
| 4 cups | 760 g | 47.5 g |
The tablespoon column is a bonus for recipes that call for a spoonful or two: one tablespoon of caster sugar weighs about 11.9 g. Remember that a cup is 16 tablespoons, so the numbers in the table are just the cup weight divided by 16, rounded sensibly. For small amounts a scale that reads to the gram is far more reliable than a spoon, because a heaped tablespoon can weigh half as much again as a level one.
How the weight was measured
Spooned and levelled means the ingredient was measured the way King Arthur Baking measures it: spooned into the measuring cup until heaped, then levelled with a straight edge. Never scoop the cup through the bag or jar, and never tap the cup down, because both pack the ingredient and add weight. The source for the 190 g per cup figure is King Arthur Baking, and the confidence in the value is high. King Arthur Baking publishes a standard ingredient weight chart that recipe developers use as a reference, and this page follows it exactly rather than averaging across sources, because an average of two different measuring methods is a number that matches nobody's cup.
Worked examples
A meringue where every gram counts
Meringue is one of the least forgiving things you can bake: the sugar must dissolve fully and the ratio to egg white must be right. For a meringue using 2 cups of caster sugar, weigh 380 g rather than trusting a cup. Fine sugar dissolves faster, so if your sugar is coarse, give it an extra minute of whisking and check for grittiness between your fingers before piping.
Sweetening a large batch of iced tea
A big jug of iced tea sweetened with 2 cups of caster sugar needs 380 g. Dissolve it in a little hot water first to make a syrup, then stir it into the cold tea — it mixes evenly and you can taste and adjust. Weighing the sugar means the same jug tastes the same every time you make it.
A buttercream that needs 2 cups of caster sugar
Buttercream is a ratio recipe: the sugar carries the structure, and too much of it makes the frosting stiff and gritty. For 2 cups of caster sugar, weigh 380 g. If the frosting feels too sweet, the answer is not to guess at a smaller cup — it is to weigh a precise smaller amount, for example 285 g for 1 1/2 cups, and taste from there. Weighing makes small adjustments repeatable.
Scaling recipes with caster sugar
Scaling is where grams earn their keep. To halve a recipe that uses 2 cups of caster sugar, weigh 190 g. To double it, weigh 760 g. To make one and a half times the recipe, weigh 570 g. Doing this in cups means fractions of fractions and rounding at every step; doing it in grams is one multiplication. Write the gram weights on the recipe card the first time you make it, and every future batch — halved, doubled, or tripled — is a single calculation. This is also the moment to notice that some recipes do not scale linearly: leavening and seasoning often need a little less than a straight multiple, so scale the caster sugar exactly and adjust the rest by taste.
Frequently asked questions
How many grams is 2 cups of caster sugar?
2 cups of caster sugar weighs approximately 380 g, measured spooned and levelled. The figure comes from the King Arthur Baking value of 190 g per cup. All weights on this page are approximate — verify with a kitchen scale when precision matters.
Can I halve or double this amount?
Yes. Half of 2 cups of caster sugar is 190 g, and double is 760 g. Weighing makes scaling exact, whereas halving or doubling cups compounds measuring error. Scale the caster sugar by weight and adjust leavening and seasoning by taste rather than by a straight multiple.
How should I store caster sugar?
Airtight container, cool and dry, indefinitely. Keeping it sealed and dry also keeps the cup weight close to the 190 g per cup value used on this page.
Why do different sources give different weights for caster sugar?
Because a cup measures volume, not weight, and the weight of a volume depends on the measuring method. Spooned and levelled, scooped, sifted and packed cups of caster sugar all weigh different amounts. This page follows the King Arthur Baking method (spooned and levelled) consistently, so all the numbers here agree with each other — which matters more than matching any single outside source.
Can I use a cup instead of weighing caster sugar?
Yes, but spoon and level rather than scooping: spoon caster sugar into the cup until heaped, then sweep a knife across the top. Scooping packs the ingredient and can add 10 to 20 percent extra weight. For 2 cups, fill and level the cup twice. Weighing 380 g is more accurate and, once you are used to it, faster.