Powdered sugar cups to grams
Powdered sugar, also called confectioners sugar or icing sugar, is ground fine and mixed with a little cornstarch. It is light and full of air, so a cup weighs only 113 grams, far less than the 200 grams of a cup of granulated sugar. That low weight is easy to misjudge by eye.
Quick fill (cups)
Conversion uses 113 g per US cup for powdered sugar. Cup size: US 236.59 ml. Weights are approximate.
Common powdered sugar amounts
Powdered sugar, unsifted, US cup:
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar = 28 g
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar = 38 g
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar = 57 g
- 2/3 cup powdered sugar = 75 g
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar = 85 g
- 1 cup powdered sugar = 113 g
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar = 170 g
- 2 cups powdered sugar = 226 g
- Granulated sugar, 1 cup = 200 g (for comparison)
| Ingredient | 1/4 c | 1/3 c | 1/2 c | 2/3 c | 3/4 c | 1 c |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Powdered sugar | 28 g | 38 g | 57 g | 75 g | 85 g | 113 g |
Sifted vs unsifted, and naming
Powdered sugar clumps as it sits, so the weight of a cup depends on whether you sifted it. The 113 grams here is for unsifted, spooned-and-leveled powdered sugar. Sifted, the same cup is lighter, closer to 100 grams, because sifting adds air.
When a recipe says 1 cup sifted powdered sugar, it means sift first, then measure. When it says 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted, it means measure first, then sift. The comma changes the amount. Weighing skips the comma problem entirely.
Powdered sugar, confectioners sugar, and icing sugar are the same thing. The cornstarch in it, about 3 percent, keeps it from caking and helps frosting set.
FAQ
- How many grams is 1 cup of powdered sugar?
- 1 US cup of unsifted powdered sugar is 113 grams. Sifted, it is lighter, closer to 100 grams.
- Is powdered sugar the same as confectioners sugar?
- Yes. Powdered sugar, confectioners sugar, and icing sugar are three names for the same product.
- Why is powdered sugar so much lighter than regular sugar?
- It is ground to a fine powder and holds a lot of air. A cup of powdered sugar is 113 grams; a cup of granulated sugar is 200 grams.
- Does sifting change the weight?
- Sifting does not change the weight of a fixed amount, but it changes how much fits in a cup. A sifted cup holds less, about 100 grams instead of 113.
- Can I swap powdered sugar for granulated sugar?
- Not directly. They differ in weight, sweetness per cup, and texture. Powdered sugar also has cornstarch. Swapping by cup will throw off most recipes.
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Sources
Our numbers and methodology cross-reference these authorities:
- King Arthur Baking: Ingredient weight chart. Industry-standard flour and baking ingredient weights.
- USDA FoodData Central. Official US government nutrient and density database.
- America's Test Kitchen: How to Weigh Ingredients and Why It's So Important. Independent test-kitchen rationale and method for weighing ingredients.
- NIST Office of Weights and Measures. Authoritative US unit definitions.
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