One cup of baking powder weighs 192 g, spooned and levelled, according to King Arthur Baking. Baking powder is a complete leavening system — baking soda plus an acid, usually cream of tartar — that releases carbon dioxide twice: once when it meets liquid, and again when it meets heat. The cup weight of 192 g is the number you need when a recipe is written in grams, when you are scaling a batch, or when you are making your own baking powder from soda and cream of tartar. All weights on this page are approximate; baking powder absorbs moisture from the air and loses strength, so verify with a scale when precision matters, and always test an old tin before you bake.
Baking Powder: weight and measurement table
The table below gives the weight of baking powder in every measure you will use, from a teaspoon up to 2 cups, all derived from the King Arthur Baking figure of 192 g per cup, spooned and levelled. Every figure is approximate — spooned and levelled is a technique, not a machine setting — so when the recipe matters, weigh the ingredient on a kitchen scale instead.
| Amount | Weight (approx.) |
| --- | --- |
| 1 teaspoon | 4 g |
| 1 tablespoon | 12 g |
| 1/4 cup (4 tbsp) | 48 g |
| 1/3 cup | 64 g |
| 1/2 cup (8 tbsp) | 96 g |
| 3/4 cup (12 tbsp) | 144 g |
| 1 cup (16 tbsp) | 192 g |
| 2 cups | 384 g |
| 100 g | 0.5 cups |
There are 3 teaspoons in a tablespoon and 16 tablespoons in a cup, so you can move between any of these measures by multiplying or dividing. If a recipe calls for 100 g and you only have measuring cups, that is about 0.5 cups. Keep the cups to grams converter open while you cook and you will never need to do the arithmetic in your head.
What is Baking Powder?
Baking powder is baking soda plus cream of tartar; double-acting, it needs only moisture and heat. It is a complete leavening system in a single powder: the baking soda provides the base, the cream of tartar provides the acid, and a little cornstarch keeps them from reacting in the tin. When the powder meets liquid, the first reaction releases carbon dioxide; when it meets heat in the oven, the second reaction releases more. That double action is why baking powder is more forgiving than baking soda — a batter can sit for a few minutes without losing all its lift. It is used for leavening cakes, pancakes and quick breads, and it is the leavening that most recipes mean when they say baking powder without specifying. It should be stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place and used within 6 months of opening.
How to measure Baking Powder correctly
Baking Powder is measured spooned and levelled, and the method matters more than most cooks realise. For dry ingredients, spoon the ingredient into the measure with a smaller spoon, letting it fall loosely, then sweep a knife across the top to level it — never dip the measuring cup into the bag, because dipping compresses the ingredient and adds up to 20 percent. For liquids, pour into a liquid measuring jug and read the level at eye height, or weigh directly into the bowl, which is the most accurate method of all. The King Arthur Baking figure used on this page is 192 g per cup, and it is the figure the site's converters use, so the numbers here and the numbers in the tool always agree. Confidence in this figure is high.
Worked examples
A pancake batter for a weekend
A pancake batter for four uses 2 tablespoons of baking powder — about 24 g — with 2 cups of flour, 2 cups of milk and 2 eggs. The weight matters because the rise depends on it: 24 g of baking powder against 240 g of flour is a 10 percent ratio, which gives tall, fluffy pancakes. Weighing the powder keeps the ratio exact — a tablespoon too much and the pancakes taste bitter and collapse, a tablespoon too little and they stay flat and dense. The batter is rested for 5 minutes, which lets the first reaction start, and the pancakes are cooked on a medium heat until bubbles appear on the surface, then flipped once.
A sponge cake for a birthday
A sponge cake uses 2 teaspoons of baking powder — about 8 g — with 2 cups of flour and 4 eggs. The weight is useful because the leavening is small relative to the batter: 8 g of powder in a 900 g batter is less than 1 percent, and a teaspoon error is proportionally huge. Weighing 8 g keeps the rise consistent — the cake rises evenly, with a fine, even crumb and no bitter aftertaste. The powder is sifted with the flour, which distributes it evenly, and the batter is baked immediately, because the first reaction starts the moment the powder meets the milk.
A quick bread for a weeknight
A banana bread uses 1 tablespoon of baking powder — about 12 g — with 2 cups of flour, 3 bananas and 2 eggs. The weight matters because banana bread is a heavy batter: the bananas and the sugar weigh it down, and the leavening has to work hard to lift it. Weighing 12 g keeps the balance right — a tablespoon too little and the loaf is dense and gummy in the middle, a tablespoon too much and it rises fast, then collapses as it cools, leaving a sunken top. The loaf is baked for 60 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean, and cooled in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out.
Double-acting and why it expires
Baking powder is double-acting, which means it releases gas twice: once when it meets liquid, and again when it meets heat. The first reaction is driven by the cream of tartar, which dissolves in the batter's moisture and reacts with the soda. The second reaction is driven by a heat-sensitive acid — usually sodium acid pyrophosphate — which only activates in the oven. That second rise is what saves a batter that has sat for a few minutes: even if the first reaction is spent, the second still lifts the cake. But double-acting does not mean indefinite: the powder loses strength with moisture and age, typically within 6 months of opening, because the acid and the soda slowly react in the tin whenever humid air gets in. That is why an old tin of baking powder gives flat cakes, and why the hot-water test matters: drop half a teaspoon into a cup of hot water, and vigorous fizzing means the powder is still active. If it barely bubbles, replace it. And when you measure baking powder, weigh it — 12 g per tablespoon, 4 g per teaspoon — because the powder is light and compressible, and a heaped tablespoon can weigh 15 g instead of 12 g, a 25 percent overdose that leaves a bitter, metallic taste.
What to use instead
If you run out of baking powder, these are the tested substitutes from our substitution data, with the ratio and the case where each one does not work. Use the ratio by weight where it is given, and check the warning before you commit the batter.
Baking powder to Baking soda and cream of tartar: 1/4 tsp baking soda + 1/2 tsp cream of tartar per 1 tsp baking powder. Do not swap leavening in a recipe without acid — baking soda alone will taste soapy and will not rise.
Baking powder to Baking soda and lemon juice: 1/4 tsp baking soda + 1/2 tsp lemon juice per 1 tsp baking powder. Do not swap leavening in a recipe without acid — baking soda alone will taste soapy and will not rise.
Baking powder to Baking soda and vinegar: 1/4 tsp baking soda + 1/2 tsp vinegar per 1 tsp baking powder. Do not swap leavening in a recipe without acid — baking soda alone will taste soapy and will not rise.
Baking powder to Baking soda and buttermilk: 1/4 tsp baking soda + 1/2 cup buttermilk per 1 tsp baking powder (replace 1/2 cup of the recipe's liquid). Do not swap leavening in a recipe without acid — baking soda alone will taste soapy and will not rise.
The golden rule for any substitution is to match the job, not just the ingredient: a substitute that works in a sauce may fail in a cake, because the two recipes ask different things of the ingredient. When in doubt, use a recipe written for the substitute rather than adapting one written for the original.
Storage
Airtight container, cool and dry, up to 6 months once opened. That is the headline, but the details matter. Store baking powder in an airtight container, away from heat, light and strong smells — dry ingredients absorb odours readily, and a bag of flour stored next to the spices will taste of them within a week. Label the container with the date you opened it, so you know how long it has been there, and check it before you bake: if it smells off, tastes bitter, or shows any sign of moisture or insects, discard it. Buying in smaller quantities and using it promptly is better than buying in bulk and storing it for a year, because every ingredient loses flavour with time, even the ones that never truly go bad.
Frequently asked questions
How many grams is 1 cup of baking powder?
One cup of baking powder weighs 192 g, spooned and levelled, according to King Arthur Baking. One tablespoon weighs 12 g and one teaspoon weighs 4 g. In practice you will rarely use more than a tablespoon or two.
How many teaspoons of baking powder are in 100 g?
There are 25 teaspoons in 100 g of baking powder (100 divided by 4 is 25). A standard 200 g tin holds 50 teaspoons, which is about 16 tablespoons.
Can I use baking soda instead of baking powder?
Only with an acid. Use 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda plus 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar per teaspoon of baking powder. Do not swap them 1:1 — baking soda is about four times stronger and will taste soapy without an acid.
Does baking powder go bad?
Yes — baking powder loses strength with moisture and age, typically within 6 to 12 months of opening. Test it by dropping 1/2 teaspoon into a cup of hot water: vigorous fizzing means it is still active. Store it in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.
Why does my cake taste bitter?
Usually too much baking powder. The excess alkaline salts are left behind after the gas is released, giving a metallic, bitter taste. Weigh the baking powder instead of spooning it, and check that you have not confused it with baking soda, which is far stronger.
Related pages
If you cook with this ingredient regularly, these pages will help: the cups to grams converter for any amount, the ingredient density lookup for the full table of 120 ingredients, the Baking Powder cups to grams page for cup conversions, the Baking Powder grams to cups page for working backwards from grams, and the Baking Powder tablespoons to grams page for spoon measures. You may also want Baking Soda, All-Purpose Flour.