How many grams in a cup of flour?
120 grams, if you fill the cup the right way.
A US cup of all-purpose flour weighs 120 grams. In a 250 ml metric cup, 127 grams. Scooping straight from the bag can push it to 140 g without you noticing.
By flour type
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| Flour | 1 US cup (g) | 1 metric cup (g) | 1 tbsp (g) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-purpose (plain) flour | 120 | 127 | 7.6 |
| Bread flour | 120 | 127 | 7.6 |
| Whole wheat flour | 113 | 119 | 7.2 |
| Cake flour | 120 | 127 | 7.6 |
| Self-rising flour | 113 | 119 | 7.2 |
| Rye flour | 106 | 112 | 6.7 |
| Almond flour | 96 | 101 | 6.1 |
| White rice flour | 142 | 150 | 9.0 |
| Semolina | 163 | 172 | 10.3 |
| Cornstarch | 112 | 118 | 7.1 |
Why 120 and not 140
The weight of a cup of flour depends entirely on how you fill it, and there are two methods that give very different answers:
- Spoon and level (which gives the 120 g figure): spoon flour into the cup without pressing, then level it with the back of a knife.
- Scoop from the bag: dip the cup straight into the flour. That compacts it, and you can reach 140-145 g, 15-20 % more.
That extra 15 % is enough to make a cake dry and a bread dough tight. It is probably the most common reason an American recipe does not work the first time.
Common amounts
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| Amount | Grams (US cup) |
|---|---|
| 1/4 cup | 30 g |
| 1/3 cup | 40 g |
| 1/2 cup | 60 g |
| 2/3 cup | 80 g |
| 3/4 cup | 90 g |
| 1 cup | 120 g |
| 2 cups | 240 g |
| 3 cups | 360 g |
The definitive fix
A kitchen scale costs very little and removes the problem entirely. In baking, where the ratio of flour to liquid decides the texture, weighing is not perfectionism: it is the difference between repeating a result and playing the lottery.
Sources and methodology
Weights for solid ingredients come from the King Arthur Baking ingredient weight chart, consulted in September 2026, measured by the spoon-and-level method. Liquids use their documented physical density. Every value and its source is listed in the ingredient table.
Frequently asked questions
How many grams is 2 cups of flour?
240 grams in US cups, 254 in metric cups. That is the flour in a standard cake recipe.
How many cups is 500 g of flour?
4.17 US cups, so four cups and a sixth. In metric cups, 3.94: essentially four.
Does whole wheat flour weigh the same?
No: 113 g against 120 g for all-purpose. Whole wheat is less dense because of the bran, even though it feels heavier.
Why does my cup weigh 140 g?
Because you are probably scooping straight from the bag, which packs the flour. Spooning and levelling gives about 120 g.
How many grams in a tablespoon of flour?
7.6 g in a level 15 ml tablespoon. Heaped it can reach 11 g, nearly 50 % more.