Quick Answer
To make 1/2 cup from 1/3 cup, you need to add 1/6 cup more. This is because 1/3 cup equals 4 tablespoons, and 1/2 cup equals 8 tablespoons. So to get from 4 tablespoons (1/3 cup) to 8 tablespoons (1/2 cup), you need to add 4 more tablespoons, which equals 1/6 cup.
The Details
When baking or cooking, it’s important to accurately measure ingredients. Understanding how measurements convert is key. Let’s look closely at how to convert between 1/3 cup and 1/2 cup.
How much is 1/3 cup?
One-third cup equals 4 tablespoons. There are 3 teaspoons in 1 tablespoon. So 1/3 cup contains:
- 4 tablespoons
- 12 teaspoons
Some approximate conversions for 1/3 cup are:
- About 5 1/3 fluid ounces
- Approximately 80 milliliters
So if you need 1/3 cup of an ingredient like flour or sugar, you’d measure out 4 tablespoons using a measuring spoon. Or you could estimate and pour around 5 fluid ounces into a liquid measuring cup.
How much is 1/2 cup?
One-half cup equals 8 tablespoons. There are 3 teaspoons in 1 tablespoon. So 1/2 cup contains:
- 8 tablespoons
- 24 teaspoons
Some approximate conversions for 1/2 cup are:
- About 10 2/3 fluid ounces
- Approximately 160 milliliters
So if you need 1/2 cup of an ingredient like milk or oil, you’d measure out 8 tablespoons or pour around 10 fluid ounces into a liquid measuring cup.
How much more does it take to make 1/2 cup from 1/3 cup?
To convert from a 1/3 cup measurement to a 1/2 cup measurement, you need to add the difference between the two.
Since 1/3 cup equals 4 tablespoons, and 1/2 cup equals 8 tablespoons, you need to add 4 more tablespoons to get from 1/3 cup to 1/2 cup.
Four tablespoons equals 1/6 cup.
So to make 1/2 cup starting with 1/3 cup, you need to add 1/6 cup more.
To summarize:
- 1/3 cup = 4 tablespoons
- 1/2 cup = 8 tablespoons
- To make 1/2 cup from 1/3 cup, add 4 more tablespoons
- 4 tablespoons = 1/6 cup
Therefore, to make 1/2 cup from 1/3 cup, you need to add 1/6 cup.
A visual representation
Here is a visual depiction to show how 1/3 cup plus 1/6 cup equals 1/2 cup:
| Measurement | Tablespoons |
|---|---|
| 1/3 cup | 4 Tbsp |
| 1/6 cup (the amount needed to make 1/2 cup) | 4 Tbsp |
| Total for 1/2 cup | 8 Tbsp |
As you can see, the 4 tablespoons from the 1/6 cup bring the total tablespoons up to 8, which equals 1/2 cup.
When you would need to make this conversion
There are many instances when knowing how to convert between 1/3 cup and 1/2 cup would come in handy:
- Doubling or halving a recipe: If a recipe calls for 1/3 cup of an ingredient but you want to double it, you’d need 1/2 cup plus 1/6 cup more of that ingredient.
- Measuring out servings: If you needed to measure out 1/2 cup servings of a food but only had a 1/3 cup measuring cup, you’d need to fill it and add 1/6 cup more for each serving.
- Substituting container sizes: If you only have a 1/3 cup container but a recipe calls for 1/2 cup, you’d need to fill the 1/3 cup and top it off with 1/6 cup more.
- Odd measurement amounts: Some ingredient amounts may call for quirky measurements like 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons. Knowing the cup conversions allows you to measure that out as 1/3 cup plus 1/6 cup.
Anytime you need to go from a 1/3 cup amount to 1/2 cup amount of an ingredient, having the conversion of 1/6 cup committed to memory is extremely helpful.
Tips for measuring 1/3 and 1/2 cup amounts accurately
When measuring ingredients for recipes, accuracy is vital for success. Here are some tips to accurately measure 1/3 cup, 1/6 cup, and 1/2 cup amounts:
- Use measuring spoons for small amounts like 1/6 cup. Trying to accurately pour a small amount like 1/6 cup into a liquid measuring cup can lead to errors.
- Measure over a surface rather than holding the cup over the mixing bowl. This prevents any spilling.
- Level off ingredients like flour or sugar with a straight edge like the back of a butter knife.
- When measuring liquids, place the liquid measuring cup on a flat surface and bend down to read the marking at eye level. The meniscus curve on the surface can lead to over or under measuring if you just look at it from above.
- Measure sticky ingredients like honey or molasses carefully by coating the liquid measuring cup first with nonstick spray. The ingredient will slide right out after measuring.
- Avoid guesstimating! It’s tempting to just eyeball amounts around 1/3 or 1/2 cup. But this leads to errors. Always measure precisely.
Taking a bit of extra care when measuring out cup amounts can prevent a recipe from being too dry, too wet, or just not turning out right.
Converting grams to cups
In some recipes, ingredient amounts may be listed in grams instead of cup measurements. Knowing how to convert grams to cups (and vice versa) is handy.
Here are some common conversions:
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour = approximately 40 grams
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour = approximately 60 grams
- 1/3 cup white sugar = approximately 65 grams
- 1/2 cup white sugar = approximately 100 grams
There are approximately 4 grams per teaspoon and 12 grams per tablespoon. Some useful equivalents to memorize are:
- 3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon = 12 grams
- 16 tablespoons = 1 cup = 224 grams
So if a recipe calls for weight measurements in grams but you want to use cup measurements, you can easily convert between the two using these approximations.
Conclusion
Understanding cup conversions is an important kitchen skill for accurate cooking and baking. When making the conversion between 1/3 cup and 1/2 cup measurements, the key thing to remember is:
- 1/3 cup equals 4 tablespoons
- 1/2 cup equals 8 tablespoons
- So to make 1/2 cup starting from 1/3 cup, you need to add 1/6 cup more.
Making conversions between grams and cups is also handy for adapting recipes. With the basic knowledge of how these cup and weight measurements convert, you can scale recipe ingredient amounts up or down and ensure your dishes come out perfect every time.
