Cake flour grams to cups
To convert grams to cups, divide the grams by 114. For example, 100 g of cake flour ≈ ⅞ cup (0.88 cups).
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Cake flour is the lightest, finest flour in the baking cupboard, so a US cup lands at about 114 grams, noticeably less than all-purpose. That low protein and superfine milling are exactly why a weight is worth getting right.
Cake flour grams to cups chart (US cup)
| Grams | Cups (approx.) | Decimal cups |
|---|---|---|
| 25 g | ¼ cup | 0.22 |
| 50 g | 0.44 cup | 0.44 |
| 75 g | ⅔ cup | 0.66 |
| 100 g | ⅞ cup | 0.88 |
| 125 g | 1⅛ cups | 1.1 |
| 150 g | 1⅓ cups | 1.32 |
| 175 g | 1.54 cups | 1.54 |
| 200 g | 1¾ cups | 1.75 |
| 250 g | 2.19 cups | 2.19 |
| 300 g | 2.63 cups | 2.63 |
| 400 g | 3½ cups | 3.51 |
| 500 g | 4.39 cups | 4.39 |
Why cake flour weighs what it does
Cake flour weighs less per cup because it is milled from soft wheat to a very fine, low-protein powder, often chlorine-treated, which makes it extra fluffy and prone to compacting unevenly. A loosely spooned cup can read near 114 grams, while a scooped, settled cup creeps toward 130. Brands differ too: bleached Swans Down and Softasilk sit lighter than some unbleached cake flours. Because the grind is so fine, it traps air on the shelf and after sifting, so how recently the bag was disturbed genuinely shifts the cup weight.
How to measure cake flour
Always spoon and level, never scoop. Stir the flour in the bag first, lightly spoon it into your cup so it mounds, then sweep level with a straight edge. Scooping the cup directly through cake flour packs the fine powder and can add 15 grams or more, undermining the tender crumb you bought it for.
Common mistake
Treating cake flour as a one-to-one swap for all-purpose by volume. A cup of AP weighs roughly 120-125 grams versus cake flour's 114, so equal cups are not equal flour. People also forget to re-fluff settled flour, then scoop, double-stacking the error into a dense, tight cake.
Other cup sizes
| Cup type | 1 cup of cake flour |
|---|---|
| US cup (240 ml) | 114 g |
| Metric cup (250 ml) | 119 g |
| Australian / South African cup (250 ml) | 119 g |
| Imperial cup (284 ml) | 135 g |
Where it matters
Cake flour shines in tender, fine-crumbed bakes: chiffon and angel food cakes, white and yellow layer cakes, cupcakes, and delicate biscuits. These batters are sensitive to flour-to-liquid ratios, so a stray 15 grams from sloppy measuring can turn a cloud-like sponge gummy or dry. Weighing protects the structure.
FAQ
Why is a cup of cake flour lighter than all-purpose flour?
Cake flour is milled from soft, low-protein wheat into a much finer powder, so it packs less mass into the same volume. A US cup runs about 114 grams versus roughly 120-125 grams for all-purpose.
Should I sift cake flour before or after measuring?
If a recipe says 'sifted, then measured,' sift first; if it says 'measured, then sifted,' measure first. Sifting adds air and lowers the weight per cup, so the order changes how much flour you actually use. Weighing avoids the ambiguity entirely.
Can I make a cake flour substitute and use the same 114 grams per cup?
The DIY swap (remove 2 tablespoons from a cup of all-purpose and replace with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch) is a volume trick, not a weight match. For accuracy, weigh to your recipe's gram target rather than assuming the homemade version equals 114 grams.
Does the brand of cake flour change the grams per cup?
Slightly. Bleached brands like Swans Down and Softasilk tend to be very light and fluffy, while some unbleached cake flours sit a touch denser. 114 grams per cup is a reliable average, but a kitchen scale is the only way to be exact.