Tools of the Kitchen
Bakers use a few special tools to measure ingredients accurately. Using the right tool for the right ingredient is what makes a recipe turn out the way it should.
Dry Measuring Cups
A nested set of solid cups (1 cup, ½ cup, ⅓ cup, ¼ cup) for scooping flour, sugar, oats, and other dry or solid ingredients. Fill and level off the top with a flat edge.
Liquid Measuring Cup
A clear cup with a spout and lines up the side, for milk, water, and oil. Set it on the counter and read the mark at eye level — no leveling off needed.
Tablespoon (tbsp)
The bigger measuring spoon — used for baking powder, oil, or butter in small amounts. 3 teaspoons make 1 tablespoon.
Teaspoon (tsp)
The smallest measuring spoon — perfect for salt, baking soda, vanilla extract, and spices.
Why Dry vs. Liquid Matters
A dry cup is made to be filled level with the top — great for scooping and scraping flat, but liquid would spill out before you could carry it. A liquid cup has extra room above the fill lines and a spout, so you can carry it without spilling and read the line straight across at eye level.
Using a dry cup for milk or a liquid cup for flour throws a recipe off — that's exactly what you'll practice avoiding in the Baking Lab below!
Kitchen Conversions
These small-volume conversions come up in almost every recipe. Knowing them helps you double a recipe, or figure out what to do if you're missing a tablespoon.
| You Have | It Equals |
|---|---|
| 3 teaspoons (tsp) | 1 tablespoon (tbsp) |
| 16 tablespoons (tbsp) | 1 cup |
| 2 cups | 1 pint |
| 4 cups | 1 quart |
Curious about gallons, quarts, pints, and cups? Check out Measuring Volume & Capacity.
The Baking Lab
Pick a recipe below. For each ingredient, read the recipe card, then choose the correct tool, the correct ingredient, and the correct amount to add it to the bowl. Get everything in, mix it up, and bake!