100 grams of muscovado sugar is about 7.5 tablespoons. One tablespoon of muscovado sugar weighs about 13.3 g, and one teaspoon is about 4.4 g. It is the darkest, stickiest sugar in the kitchen, with more molasses than any other, and it is the reason sticky toffee pudding tastes the way it does.
All figures on this page are approximate, and they come from USDA, measured packed. Unrefined cane sugar with a high molasses content and sticky texture. Gingerbread, sticky toffee pudding, marinades and chutneys. When a recipe has to work the first time, verify with a kitchen scale.
How the measurement works
The figure on this page comes from USDA, measured packed. One US cup is 16 tablespoons, so every figure here is the cup weight of 213 g divided by 16, rounded to one decimal place. Unrefined cane sugar with a high molasses content and sticky texture. Gingerbread, sticky toffee pudding, marinades and chutneys.
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.
Conversion table
| Amount | Grams of muscovado sugar |
|---|---|
| 1 teaspoon | 4.4 g |
| 1 tablespoon | 13.3 g |
| 2 tablespoons | 26.6 g |
| 3 tablespoons | 39.9 g |
| 4 tablespoons | 53.2 g |
| 5 tablespoons | 66.6 g |
| 6 tablespoons | 79.9 g |
| 8 tablespoons | 106.5 g |
| 10 tablespoons | 133.1 g |
| 12 tablespoons | 159.8 g |
| 1 cup (16 tablespoons) | 213 g |
| 100 g | 7.5 tablespoons |
One tablespoon is one sixteenth of a cup, so every figure above is simply the cup weight divided by 16, rounded to one decimal place. The last row is the headline figure for this page: 100 g of muscovado sugar is about 7.5 tablespoons. All figures are approximate; verify with a kitchen scale when it matters.
Three real kitchen examples
A sticky toffee pudding
A sticky toffee pudding uses 10 tablespoons of packed muscovado sugar, about 133.1 g, in the sponge and the toffee sauce. The sugar's high molasses content gives the pudding its dark colour, its deep toffee flavour and its moist, sticky crumb. Pack each tablespoon firmly, because muscovado is sticky and full of air gaps when spooned loosely, and a loosely measured pudding comes out pale and dry instead of dark and sticky.
A gingerbread house for Christmas
A gingerbread house needs 8 tablespoons of muscovado sugar, about 106.5 g, in a dough that must hold its shape through baking and building. The molasses in the sugar keeps the gingerbread moist enough to cut without cracking, and gives it the dark colour that makes a gingerbread house look right. Weigh the sugar if you can: sticky sugar is the hardest to measure by spoon, and the dough is unforgiving if the sugar is short.
A marinade for grilled pork
A marinade for grilled pork uses 4 tablespoons of muscovado sugar, about 53.2 g, whisked with soy sauce, garlic and ginger. The sugar caramelises on the pork over the heat and gives the sticky, dark glaze that makes grilled pork shine. Four spoonfuls is enough for a marinade that serves four; any more and the glaze burns before the pork is cooked through.
Getting it right in your kitchen
Muscovado sugar matters because it is the most intensely flavoured sugar you can buy. It is unrefined cane sugar with a very high molasses content, which makes it dark, sticky and almost wet to the touch, with a flavour somewhere between toffee and liquorice. That flavour is the point of sticky toffee pudding, gingerbread and rich fruit cakes, and no other sugar can copy it. At 213 g per cup packed, 100 g is about 7.5 tablespoons, the same as brown sugar, because the two are measured the same way. The stickiness is the practical problem: muscovado clumps and traps air, so a loosely spooned measure can be far lighter than a packed one, and weighing is the only reliable method.
When should you weigh muscovado sugar instead of measuring it in tablespoons? Whenever the recipe has to work the first time, and whenever the amount is large. A kitchen scale costs less than a single failed cake, and it removes the biggest source of variation in home cooking: the way ingredients pack into a spoon or a cup. Put the bowl on the scale, press tare, and add the muscovado sugar 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, but for anything where precision matters, the scale is the tool to reach for.
Storage. Airtight container; add a damp cloth or bread slice if it hardens.
- Pack muscovado firmly into the spoon; it traps air and measures light when loose.
- Keep it airtight with a slice of bread so it stays soft and sticky.
- Use it where its dark toffee flavour belongs: gingerbread, fruit cake, toffee pudding.
Frequently asked questions
How many tablespoons is 100 grams of muscovado sugar?
100 grams of muscovado sugar is about 7.5 tablespoons, packed firmly, using the USDA value of 213 g per cup. One packed tablespoon weighs about 13.3 g. The figure is approximate, and it depends on packing, so verify with a kitchen scale when the recipe matters.
How many grams is 1 tablespoon of muscovado sugar?
One firmly packed tablespoon of muscovado sugar weighs about 13.3 g, and one packed teaspoon is about 4.4 g. Loosely spooned, the same tablespoon holds much less, because the sticky sugar traps air gaps.
What is the difference between muscovado and brown sugar?
Muscovado is unrefined and keeps far more molasses, so it is darker, stickier and more strongly flavoured than brown sugar, which is refined white sugar with molasses added back. They weigh the same per cup when packed, 213 g, so they swap by weight, but muscovado gives a deeper, almost liquorice-like flavour.
Can I use muscovado sugar instead of brown sugar?
Yes, by weight: 100 g of muscovado sugar replaces 100 g of brown sugar, and the two measure the same when packed. The flavour will be darker and more intense, which suits gingerbread and sticky toffee pudding but can overpower a delicate cookie.
How do I soften hard muscovado sugar?
Seal it in an airtight container overnight with a damp cloth or a slice of bread, and the moisture will soften it again. Microwaving it for a few seconds with a damp paper towel also works. Once soft, pack it firmly into the spoon or weigh it for baking.
Common mistakes to avoid
The biggest mistake is measuring muscovado sugar loosely, like white sugar: it is sticky and full of air gaps, so a loose measure can be a fifth light. Pack it firmly into the spoon. The second mistake is using it in a delicate cake where its strong flavour overpowers everything else; muscovado suits gingerbread, fruit cake and toffee pudding, not vanilla sponge. The third mistake is letting it dry out in an open bag, because it sets as hard as a brick and has to be softened overnight with a damp cloth. Finally, do not swap muscovado for granulated sugar spoon-for-spoon: it is heavier and far more strongly flavoured, so the recipe changes in two ways at once.