How to Use Measuring Cups in Cooking

Measuring cups are essential to successful cooking.  There are cups that are used for liquid and non-liquid ingredients.  It is important to use a measuring cup properly so that you get the perfect amount of a specific ingredient for your cooking project.  Liquid ingredients are easy to measure by making sure that the level of the liquid is at the proper line of measurement on the measuring cup.

Using non-liquid ingredients requires a little more effort.

1.  Select the measuring cup that is recommend in the recipe.  For instance if the recipe calls for one cup of sugar, make sure you use the one cup measuring spoon.

2.  Scoop the ingredients into the measuring cup.

3.  Use a butter knife or counter scraper to level the ingredients with the top of the measuring cup.  You want to make sure that you do not have too much or too little of the ingredient needed.

4.  Depending on the ingredient you may need to pack the measuring cup.  Flour and sugar does not have to be packed, but brown sugar will need to be packed.  Use a smaller measuring cup and press the ingredients down with the base of the smaller measuring cup.  Fill the cup with more ingredients until it is level with the top edge of the cup.

5.  Make sure that the ingredient is level with the top of the measuring cup before putting the ingredient into your cooking project.