20 tablespoons equals 1.25 cups. When used as a cooking measure, one cup is equal to 16 tablespoons, 8 ounces or 225 grams. This applies to standard sized cups and tablespoons.
Most of the world uses metric measurements for recipes, but the United States continues to use volume measurements. These are classified as either dry measures or fluid measures. Some dry measures and fluid measures have similar names but are quite different amounts.
The cup is usually used in recipes as an informal unit where precision is not required. There is no internationally agreed standard size for a cup. The important thing is that ingredients measured with the same sized cup will be in proportion to each other. Cup sizes are generally between 200ml and 284ml. Law defines the cup currently used in the United States for nutrition labelling as 240ml.
European cooking recipes usually state liquid volumes in millilitres and non-liquid volumes in grams. For example, an American recipe specifying 1 cup of sugar and 2 cups of milk would specify 200g sugar and 500ml milk in Europe.
Conversion between the different measurements should take into account the density of the ingredients. For example, when measuring a cup of a powdery dry ingredient, like flour, it should be stirred first to aerate it, poured into the cup and then levelled off with a straight edge. Scooping it straight out of the bag could compress it and increase the amount in the cup. Other ingredients, such as brown sugar and rice, should be packed into the cup firmly to avoid air gaps.
Where possible, stick to imperial, metric or American measurements throughout the recipe.
Most of the world uses metric measurements for recipes, but the United States continues to use volume measurements. These are classified as either dry measures or fluid measures. Some dry measures and fluid measures have similar names but are quite different amounts.
The cup is usually used in recipes as an informal unit where precision is not required. There is no internationally agreed standard size for a cup. The important thing is that ingredients measured with the same sized cup will be in proportion to each other. Cup sizes are generally between 200ml and 284ml. Law defines the cup currently used in the United States for nutrition labelling as 240ml.
European cooking recipes usually state liquid volumes in millilitres and non-liquid volumes in grams. For example, an American recipe specifying 1 cup of sugar and 2 cups of milk would specify 200g sugar and 500ml milk in Europe.
Conversion between the different measurements should take into account the density of the ingredients. For example, when measuring a cup of a powdery dry ingredient, like flour, it should be stirred first to aerate it, poured into the cup and then levelled off with a straight edge. Scooping it straight out of the bag could compress it and increase the amount in the cup. Other ingredients, such as brown sugar and rice, should be packed into the cup firmly to avoid air gaps.
Where possible, stick to imperial, metric or American measurements throughout the recipe.
