If you are a new baker or cook, you’re probably learning to measure ingredients precisely, so you don’t end up using more or less than the recipe calls for. Yes, the first and foremost step is knowing the conversions of tablespoons in a cup.
So, how many tablespoons are in a cup? The answer is 16 tablespoons is equal to one cup. For a more detailed guide and cooking tips, let’s follow our pos!
Do All Countries Use Cups?
Before getting to know the detailed answers, it’s important to note that not all countries use measuring cups.
In fact, British recipes haven’t used cups as a standard measurement since the 1960s. Nonetheless, these units still exist in old cookbooks published in Europe.
Currently, this unit of measurement is widely used in the United States, Liberia, and Burma – where the standard measurement system is still in use.
Almost all other countries follow the metric system – which counts everything by tens, making it more understandable and convenient.
So, if you’re a US citizen or you are moving to the US, you have to use the units from the English measurement system – like cups, tablespoons, ounces, quarts.
Even if you do not belong to those groups, there’s still a chance that you catch a modern recipe that uses a cup of sugar, flour, or some other ingredients. Not to mention that we all use the internet nowadays, so your recipe could originate from anywhere.
How Many Tablespoons Are In A Cup?
# There are 16 tablespoons (tbsp) in a cup.
From here, you can easily adjust your recipes without wasting time in the kitchen. For example, if you intend to double a cake that calls for 4 tbsp of flour, you will quickly add a half cup!
The answer is simple, but you can do a little math and apply it to other measurement conversions.
To calculate how many tablespoons in ½ cup, simply halve 16, and we get 8 tbsp. Or when converting into ⅛ cup, just divide 16 by 8, and the answer is 2 (tbsps).
Let’s do something more challenging!
How many tbsp in ¾ cup are there? Multiply 16 into ¾, equals 12. So, three-quarters of a cup translates to 12 tablespoons.
# Other Conversions
Measuring ingredients is not all about cups and tablespoons. You had better learn to convert tablespoons to teaspoons, how to convert ounces to spoons, and how many teaspoons are in a cup.
- One cup equals 48 teaspoons.
- A tablespoon is three teaspoons, which means ½ teaspoon equals 1.5 teaspoons.
- One ounce is equivalent to 2 tablespoons or six teaspoons. It means ⅛ cup equals an ounce of an ingredient!
# Kitchen Conversion Chart
- 1 cup = 16 tbsp
- 3/4 cup = 12 tbsp
- 2/3 cup= 10 tbsp plus 2 tsp
- 1/2 cup = 8 tbsp
- 3/8 cup = 6 tbsp
- 1/3 cup = 5 tbsp plus 1 tsp
- 1/4 cup = 4 tbsp
- 1/6 cup = 2 tbsp plus 2 tsp
- 1/8 cup = 2 tbsp
- 1/16 cup = 1 tbsp
- 1 tablespoon = 3 tbsp
# Are Dry and Wet Measurements the Same?
Yes, dry and wet cups are the same. One cup equals 16 tbsp when cooking with dry goods such as sugar, flour, cocoa powder. The same goes for wet ingredients like water, cooking oil, syrup, etc.
It’s worth noting that you should use liquid measuring cups when measuring wet ingredients. They often come in a handle and measurement lines, allowing you to reach the desired measurement without spilling.
If you use dry measuring cups to measure liquid ingredients, you end up spilling them or getting too little (to avoid spilling). These cups hold an exact amount and get leveled off with a flat edge.
# How Much Is A Dash, Pinch, And Smidgen?
Don’t be confused when your recipe calls for a dash. Below are the measurements:
- A tad = 1/4 teaspoon
- A pinch = 1/16 teaspoon
- A dash = 1/8 teaspoon (only for liquid measurements)
- A smidgen = 1/32 teaspoon (almost nothing)
- A Drop = 1/64 teaspoon (for liquid measurements)
Rest assured that you don’t have to remember all of these measurements. A measuring spoon will help you deal with any baking recipe that calls for a pinch of nutmeg.
# Measuring Tips For New Bakers
The secrets to making the most delicious desserts are all in how you use your tablespoon. Here’s what they are:
- Making sure that your cups and spoons are levels is key to making the most of every recipe. Half-filled or heaped utensils will result in using too much or too few ingredients, affecting the taste of what you’re preparing!
- Puff up your favorite recipes by aerating ingredients like flour, cocoa powder, and other dry goods when making them. This method will keep the final product from being too dense and give it an amazing texture!
- When measuring by volume, don’t use tea or coffee cups because you will not get consistent cooking results. It is especially important when baking as it can lead to unevenly cooked goods!
- Always fill the vessel’s top when measuring dry goods like flour, sugar, or spices. Utilize the back of your knife to scrape across its surface and level it off.
- Don’t put your faith in dry ingredient cups when measuring liquids! Instead, use a liquid measuring cup, put them on an even surface, and position yourself to see the measurement results easily.
- It is important always to use the appropriate size cups or spoons when measuring. Different recipes call for different sizes, so be sure to choose one accordingly.
- Don’t just rely on the measuring cups! Kitchen scales can give you the most accurate results in milliliters or grams.
The Bottom Line
Learning how to cook can be hard, especially when you’re starting with recipes that use unfamiliar measurements. Hopefully, this blog post has offered some helpful hints and tips about measuring ingredients. Now that we can easily convert tablespoons’ measurements into cups, it’s time to get cooking.