When it comes to cooking and baking, measuring ingredients precisely is extremely important for achieving the desired results. Understanding liquid measurements like cups, fluid ounces, milliliters, etc. and how to convert between them is essential knowledge for any home cook or baker.
The Quick Answer
2/3 cup equals approximately 160 milliliters (ml). To be more precise, 2/3 cup is equivalent to 158.73ml. So if a recipe calls for 2/3 cup of an ingredient like milk or water, you would need 158.73ml if measuring in milliliters.
Converting Cups to Milliliters
There are a few key things to understand when converting between cups and milliliters:
- 1 cup = 8 fluid ounces = 236.588ml
- 1 fluid ounce = 29.5735ml
- 1/16 cup = 1 fluid ounce
- 1/8 cup = 2 fluid ounces = 59.147ml
- 1/4 cup = 4 fluid ounces = 118.294ml
- 1/3 cup = 5 fluid ounces = 147.868ml
- 1/2 cup = 8 fluid ounces = 236.588ml
- 2/3 cup = 10 fluid ounces = 295.735ml
So to find the milliliter equivalent of 2/3 cup, we calculate:
There are 3 equal parts in 2/3 cup.
1 cup = 236.588ml
So 1/3 cup = 236.588ml ÷ 3 = 78.863ml
Therefore, 2/3 cup = 2 x 78.863ml = 157.726ml
When rounded to the nearest whole number, 2/3 cup = 158ml.
Shortcut Method
An easier shortcut is to remember that 1 cup = 240ml (rounded number).
So 2/3 of 240ml is 160ml.
Why Precision Matters
Being precise with measurements really matters in cooking and baking. Even small variations can make a big difference in the final results you get. Things like density, volume, weight ratios, chemistry, etc. all come into play.
For example, adding an extra 1/4 cup of flour to a cake recipe could result in a dry, dense cake rather than a light, fluffy one. Or using 1/4 cup less milk in pancake batter could lead to thick, rubbery pancakes instead of thin, tender ones.
That’s why most experienced cooks and bakers recommend measuring dry ingredients like flour by weight rather than volume. 1 cup of flour can vary in weight by over 15% depending on things like humidity, aeration, packing, etc. Measuring by weight (grams or ounces) eliminates this variability and improves consistency.
Tips for Accurate Measuring
To get the most accurate measurements:
- Use standard, dry measuring cups for liquids like milk, water, oil, etc. Glass or plastic cups with volume markings on the side work best.
- Use nested, stainless steel dry measuring cups for dry ingredients like flour, sugar, oats, etc. Don’t pack or tap to settle.
- Use a digital kitchen scale for most accurate weight measurements.
- When halving or doubling a recipe, use proper fractional measurements versus guestimating.
- Level off dry ingredients using a straight edge rather than rounding or heaping.
Common Conversions
Here is a table with some common US liquid measurement conversions between cups, fluid ounces, milliliters and liters:
| Cups | Fluid Ounces | Milliliters | Liters |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/4 cup | 2 fl oz | 59.15 ml | 0.06 L |
| 1/3 cup | 2.67 fl oz | 79.77 ml | 0.08 L |
| 1/2 cup | 4 fl oz | 118.29 ml | 0.12 L |
| 2/3 cup | 5.33 fl oz | 158.73 ml | 0.16 L |
| 3/4 cup | 6 fl oz | 177.44 ml | 0.18 L |
| 1 cup | 8 fl oz | 236.59 ml | 0.24 L |
| 1.5 cups | 12 fl oz | 354.88 ml | 0.35 L |
| 2 cups | 16 fl oz | 473.18 ml | 0.47 L |
| 2.5 cups | 20 fl oz | 591.47 ml | 0.59 L |
| 3 cups | 24 fl oz | 709.77 ml | 0.71 L |
| 4 cups | 32 fl oz | 946.36 ml | 0.95 L |
| 5 cups | 40 fl oz | 1.18 L | 1.18 L |
| 6 cups | 48 fl oz | 1.42 L | 1.42 L |
| 8 cups | 64 fl oz | 1.89 L | 1.89 L |
| 10 cups | 80 fl oz | 2.37 L | 2.37 L |
Using Measurement Conversion Tools
If you need to convert between other units or volume measurements not listed here, there are many helpful conversion calculators and charts available online. These tools can instantly convert between cups, fluid ounces, milliliters, liters, pints, tablespoons, etc. for all your cooking and baking needs.
Some good sites to bookmark include:
There are also many free mobile apps like Cook’s Helper, Baker’s Toolbox, Unit Converter, etc. that provide these capabilities and can be handy to have in the kitchen for easy reference.
Key Takeaways
- 2/3 cup equals approximately 160ml when rounded, or 158.73ml for highest precision.
- Accurate measurements are critical for success in cooking and baking.
- Use proper tools like dry measuring cups, liquid measures, scales, etc. for best results.
- Know the basic conversions between cups, fluid ounces, milliliters, and liters.
- Take advantage of online tools and mobile apps to convert between units.
Understanding liquid measurements and how to accurately convert between cups, fluid ounces, milliliters, etc. is an important skill for cooks and bakers. Mastering these conversions allows you to precisely measure ingredients, follow recipes properly, and achieve desired results in the kitchen.
