1 teaspoon of cake flour weighs 2.5 g. A teaspoon is one forty-eighth of a cup, and a cup of cake flour is 120 g spooned and levelled, so the maths is 120 ÷ 48 = 2.5 g. The same cup divided by 16 gives the tablespoon weight of 7.5 g, and there are 3 teaspoons in every tablespoon. This page is built around small amounts, so the teaspoon and tablespoon tables below are the ones to bookmark, and the cups table is there for the times a recipe jumps to a larger quantity.
Very finely milled, low-protein flour that gives cakes a tender, fine crumb, and it is used for sponge cakes, chiffon and delicate layer cakes.
All figures on this page are approximate, and they come from King Arthur Baking, measured spooned and levelled. When a recipe has to work the first time, verify with a kitchen scale.
Conversion table
One teaspoon is one forty-eighth of a cup, so every figure in this table is the cup weight divided by 48, rounded to two decimal places. All figures are approximate; verify with a kitchen scale when it matters.
| Teaspoons | Grams (approx.) |
|---|---|
| 1 tsp | 2.50 g |
| 2 tsp | 5.00 g |
| 3 tsp | 7.50 g |
| 4 tsp | 10.00 g |
| 5 tsp | 12.50 g |
| 6 tsp | 15.00 g |
| 7 tsp | 17.50 g |
| 8 tsp | 20.00 g |
| 9 tsp | 22.50 g |
| 10 tsp | 25.00 g |
| 11 tsp | 27.50 g |
| 12 tsp | 30.00 g |
The tablespoon figures are included too, because most recipes switch between teaspoons and tablespoons, and 3 teaspoons make 1 tablespoon.
| Tablespoons | Grams (approx.) |
|---|---|
| 1 tbsp | 7.5 g |
| 2 tbsp | 15.0 g |
| 3 tbsp | 22.5 g |
| 4 tbsp | 30.0 g |
| 5 tbsp | 37.5 g |
| 6 tbsp | 45.0 g |
| 7 tbsp | 52.5 g |
| 8 tbsp | 60.0 g |
| 9 tbsp | 67.5 g |
| 10 tbsp | 75.0 g |
| 11 tbsp | 82.5 g |
| 12 tbsp | 90.0 g |
| 13 tbsp | 97.5 g |
| 14 tbsp | 105.0 g |
| 15 tbsp | 112.5 g |
| 16 tbsp | 120.0 g |
One tablespoon is one sixteenth of a cup, so every tablespoon figure is the cup weight divided by 16, rounded to one decimal place.
Cups to grams for reference
When a recipe jumps from spoons to cups, use this table instead of counting out 16 tablespoons. Every figure is the cup weight multiplied by the fraction, rounded to one decimal place, and all figures are approximate.
| Cups | Grams (approx.) |
|---|---|
| 1/4 cup | 30.0 g |
| 1/3 cup | 40.0 g |
| 1/2 cup | 60.0 g |
| 2/3 cup | 80.0 g |
| 3/4 cup | 90.0 g |
| 1 cup | 120.0 g |
One cup of cake flour weighs 120 g, so a quarter cup is 30 g and half a cup is 60 g. Those two figures cover most everyday scaling, and the full table above covers the rest.
How the measurement works
The figure on this page comes from King Arthur Baking, measured spooned and levelled. Very finely milled, low-protein flour that gives cakes a tender, fine crumb, and it is used for sponge cakes, chiffon and delicate layer cakes.
A note on disputed figures. King Arthur lists 120 g per cup; finely milled cake flour is sometimes quoted at 100 g per cup when sifted, so spoon and level rather than scooping.
All results on this page are approximate. Ingredient weights vary with brand, humidity, temperature and how firmly you pack the spoon, so when a recipe has to work the first time, weigh the ingredient on a kitchen scale and use the numbers here as a guide. The method matters more than the number itself, because the same spoon of cake flour measured two different ways can give two different weights, and the King Arthur Baking value assumes the spooned and levelled method every time.
Worked examples
Thickening a small pan sauce
A pan sauce for two needs 1 teaspoon (2.50 g) of cake flour whisked into melted butter to make a roux, and cooking the roux for a minute before the stock goes in takes the raw taste away. The amount matters because too much cake flour turns the sauce gluey, while too little leaves it thin and unable to coat the meat.
Dusting a cake tin
A greased cake tin needs about 2 teaspoons (5.00 g) of cake flour dusted over the surface so the cake releases cleanly, and tapping the tin upside down removes the excess. Too much leaves a pale coating on the outside of the cake, while too little risks the cake sticking in the corners.
A roux for a cheese sauce
A cheese sauce for macaroni starts with 3 teaspoons (7.50 g) of cake flour cooked in butter before the milk is added, and the ratio of flour to butter to milk decides how thick the finished sauce turns out. Level each spoon with a knife so the ratio stays the same every time.
Practical guidance
Spoon the cake flour into the measure and level it off with a straight edge, and never scoop straight from the bag, since scooping packs the cake flour down and adds weight that the recipe did not ask for. Do not sift before measuring unless the recipe says sifted, because sifting adds air and changes the weight per spoon. If you bake often, the single best upgrade is a kitchen scale, since weighing cake flour removes the biggest source of variation in home baking entirely. Until then, spoon and level every time, and use the same spoon for the whole recipe so any small error stays consistent.
Scaling with spoons is easy once you know the weight of one spoon. To measure 100 g of cake flour, count out about 40.0 teaspoons, and for 50 g, about 20.0 teaspoons. Halving a recipe that calls for 4 teaspoons means using 2 teaspoons, or 5.00 g, and doubling it means 8 teaspoons, or 20.00 g. The key is to scale every ingredient by the same factor, because changing one ingredient without changing the others throws the recipe out of balance. For large amounts, switch to a cup measure or a scale, since counting out teaspoons one by one is slow and error-prone, and a cup is faster and more accurate.
When should you weigh cake flour instead of measuring it? Whenever the recipe has to work the first time, and whenever the amount is large. A kitchen scale costs less than a single failed bake, and it removes the biggest source of variation in home cooking, which is the way ingredients pack into a cup or a spoon. Put the bowl on the scale, press tare, and add the cake flour until the display shows the number you need. There is nothing to wash afterwards except the bowl, and the result is the same every time. For small amounts, a level spoon is accurate enough, and for anything where precision matters, the scale is the tool to reach for.
Storage. Airtight container, cool and dry, up to 1 year.
- Level every spoon with the back of a knife.
- Use spoons for small amounts, and a scale for large ones.
- Keep the same spoon for the whole recipe so errors stay consistent.
Frequently asked questions
How many grams is 1 teaspoon of cake flour?
One level teaspoon of cake flour weighs approximately 2.5 g. That figure comes from dividing the cup weight of 120 g by 48, and it assumes the ingredient is measured spooned and levelled. All figures on this page are approximate, so verify with a kitchen scale when it matters.
How many teaspoons of cake flour make 100 g?
About 40.0 teaspoons of cake flour weigh 100 g, and about 20.0 teaspoons weigh 50 g. Count out the spoons level, and switch to a scale for large amounts, since counting dozens of spoonfuls invites mistakes.
Does a heaped teaspoon of cake flour weigh more?
Yes, a heaped teaspoon weighs noticeably more than a level one, and the difference is biggest for light, fluffy ingredients. Always level the spoon with the back of a knife unless the recipe specifically says heaped, because recipes that give spoon measures assume a level spoon.
How many teaspoons of cake flour are in a tablespoon?
There are 3 teaspoons in 1 tablespoon, so 1 tablespoon of cake flour weighs approximately 7.5 g, which is three times the teaspoon weight of 2.5 g. Use the tablespoon table on this page when a recipe switches between the two units.
Why do different sources give different weights for cake flour?
Because the weight of a cup depends on how the ingredient is measured and on the source. King Arthur lists 120 g per cup; finely milled cake flour is sometimes quoted at 100 g per cup when sifted, so spoon and level rather than scooping. We use the King Arthur Baking value of 120 g per cup on this page, and every figure here is approximate.
How should I store cake flour?
Airtight container, cool and dry, up to 1 year. Keeping it stored properly also keeps its weight consistent, since an ingredient that has absorbed moisture or dried out will not weigh the same per spoon as a fresh one.