Quick Guide on How to Measure Dry Ingredients For Baking

01-02-2018

A soft spongy chocolate cake that melts in your mouth or a dry collapsed mess. The difference between the two may lie in how accurately you measure the ingredients. Baking is one style of cooking where you have to be extremely precise about ingredient measurement. A single mistake in the recipe can change the outcome of your baking from delicious to inedible.

In a baking recipes, you will find two types of ingredients - wet and dry. They are both measured in a slightly different way.  Here is a quick guide on, how to measure dry ingredients for baking?

Here are some of the dry ingredient examples used in baking:

• Baking Flour or All-Purpose Flour
• Sugar (Castor or brown)
• Cocoa Powder
• Baking Soda
• Baking Powder
• Spices
• Yeast
• Salt

Measuring tools that are used to measure dry ingredients are:

• Measuring Cups & Spoons
• Kitchen scale

There are technically two ways to measure dry ingredients: by volume and by weight. Measuring cups and spoons measure the dry ingredients by volume and a kitchen scale measures by weight.

Here are the specific methods to follow when you measure dry ingredients:

Measure dry ingredients using a Measuring Cup & Spoon:

Sifting, spooning or scooping can change the volume of the dry ingredient significantly. The “dip and sweep” is the best method to fill a cup or spoon to measure dry ingredients. 

Here’s how to do it:

• The dry ingredient should be stored in a wide-mouthed container.
• Dip the measuring cup or spoon into the jar and allow the dry ingredient to overflow
• Hold the filled cup or spoon steadily and level out the ingredient with a spatula or flat-edged knife

Voila! You have measured the dry ingredient correctly!

Measure dry ingredients using a Digital Kitchen Scale:

Measuring dry ingredients by volume using a cup or a spoon is notoriously inaccurate.

Why?

One reason is that different dry ingredients are packable to varying extents into the cup. Another variance lies in how you pack the ingredient into the cup. Being loose or heavy-handed can result in up to 15% of difference in the measurement! This will cause undesirable inconsistencies each time you bake.

A digital kitchen scale is the solution to your problems. Here’s how:

• Place a mixing bowl on the digital kitchen scale
• Each time you add a new ingredient, you must turn the scale to zero. Spoon in your ingredients slowly till you get the ideal weight as mentioned in the recipe
• In this way, you end up putting all your ingredients in the same bowl, thereby reducing considerable time and effort.

Remember to keep these handy tips in mind when you measure dry ingredients for your next baking recipe. A steady hand and a desire for perfection can go a long way in baking.

Do you have any tips or tricks that you use in your kitchen to measure dry ingredients for baking? If you wish to share them with your fellow bakers, comment below. Don’t forget to check out the Bakery Ingredients Store on Bakerykart to order some premium quality ingredients for your next baking project.

Until next time,

Happy Baking!