A 2/3 cup of water is the volume equivalent to about 5.3 fluid ounces or approximately 160 milliliters. It represents a common measurement used in cooking and baking recipes in the United States.
Why do recipes call for fractional cup measurements?
Recipes commonly call for ingredients to be measured out in fractions of cups rather than relying solely on weight or mass measurements. There are a few reasons for this:
- Using cup measurements allows cooks to measure ingredients quickly without needing to weigh each one on a kitchen scale. Volume measurements are more convenient for home cooks.
- In baking especially, cup measurements allow recipes to be more standardized and replicable. The ratios of wet to dry ingredients are important for getting the right texture.
- Not all kitchen scales are highly accurate, especially for small quantities. Volume measures can be more precise for small amounts.
- Cup measurements are familiar to American home cooks. Publishing recipes with cup measurements rather than weights only makes them more accessible.
What are some common fractional cup measurements?
Some of the most common fractional cup measurements used in recipes include:
- 1/4 cup
- 1/3 cup
- 1/2 cup
- 2/3 cup
- 3/4 cup
Recipes may also call for smaller fractions like 1/8 cup or 1/16 cup for small quantities. Using a variety of fractional measurements allows recipes to be very precise in how ingredients are measured out.
What does 2/3 cup look like?
Visualizing how much a 2/3 cup measurement looks like can be helpful when following recipes. Here are some ways to picture this volume:
- It is equal to about 5.3 fluid ounces.
- It takes up about two thirds of a standard 1 cup measuring cup.
- It’s approximately half of a 12 ounce soda can’s volume.
- It’s slightly more than the volume of a standard egg (about 1/2 cup).
Being able to estimate and eyeball a 2/3 cup amount helps when cooking without needing to measure it precisely each time.
How many tablespoons are in 2/3 cup?
A 2/3 cup measurement corresponds to:
- 10 tablespoons
- 14 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons
- 160 milliliters
Knowing how a fractional cup measurement converts to tablespoons or milliliters can be handy for substitutions if you don’t have the right measuring cups.
How many fluid ounces are in 2/3 cup?
There are approximately 5.3 fluid ounces (fl oz) in 2/3 cup. The exact conversion is:
- 2/3 cup = 5.3333 fl oz
Fluid ounces are another common measurement for liquids used in cooking, so converting between cups and fl oz can be useful.
What does 2/3 cup of water weigh?
The weight of 2/3 cup of water depends slightly on the temperature, but at room temperature or 20°C / 68°F it weighs:
- Approximately 5.4 ounces (oz) or 153 grams (g)
This conversion can vary a bit if the water is very hot or very cold. But for rough estimation, 2/3 cup of water weighs about 5 1/2 ounces or 1/3 pound.
How much does 2/3 cup of water cost?
The cost of 2/3 cup of water is essentially free for most people for all practical purposes. Tap water costs on average $0.004 per gallon in the United States. So 2/3 cup would cost a fraction of a penny.
Even bottled water only costs around $1 per gallon on average. So the per cup cost is still negligible. It’s essentially free unless someone is in a situation where water is very scarce or they are purchasing specialty bottled water.
What are some common uses for a 2/3 cup liquid measure?
Some examples of using 2/3 cup liquid measure in cooking and baking recipes include:
- Measuring out 2/3 cup milk or cream to add to mashed potatoes or macaroni and cheese
- Measuring 2/3 cup water to use in bread or pizza dough recipes
- Measuring out 2/3 cup olive oil for salad dressings, sautéing veggies, roasting potatoes, etc.
- Using 2/3 cup honey or maple syrup to sweeten muffins, cakes, sauces, etc.
- Measuring 2/3 cup broth or stock for making soups, risottos, gravies, etc.
It’s a handy amount for adding flavorful liquids without going overboard.
What are some common dry ingredient uses for a 2/3 cup measure?
Besides liquids, the 2/3 cup measure sees lots of use measuring out dry ingredients like:
- Flour – Useful for pancakes, quick breads, cookies, muffins, etc.
- Sugar – Great for topping oatmeal, baking, adding to drinks, etc.
- Rice – Makes for a good single serving or side dish portion.
- Chopped nuts – Enough for cookies, cakes, salads, etc. without excess.
- Chocolate chips – Approximately what you need for muffins, breads, pancakes, etc.
With dry goods, it’s a handy medium size measure between 1/2 cup and 1 cup.
What household items are about a 2/3 cup volume?
If you don’t have measuring cups on hand, there are lots of common household items that are around a 2/3 cup volume:
- Medium banana
- Baseball
- Small orange or apple
- Rounded handful of snack food like pretzels or popcorn
- Hockey puck
- Two rolled up tubes of tennis balls
- Six square dice stacked together
The next time you’re baking without measuring cups, grab one of these handy 2/3 cup volume equivalents.
Why is a 2/3 cup measurement useful?
A 2/3 cup is useful because it strikes a balance between being a small and large measure. Key benefits include:
- It’s larger than 1/2 cup for when you need more volume, but smaller than a full cup to restrain portions.
- Measurements like 2/3 cup allow recipes to have precision in the ingredient ratios.
- It provides a single serving size for things like rice, cereal, ice cream, etc.
- The volume is easy to eyeball and estimate without necessarily measuring every time.
Next time a recipe calls for 2/3 cup, you’ll know it provides the perfect amount for many ingredients and situations.
Conclusion
A 2/3 cup measurement equals 5.3 fluid ounces or about 160 milliliters. In cooking, it represents a handy medium-sized amount between 1/2 cup and 1 cup that works well for liquids like milk, juices, oils, etc. as well as many dry ingredients like flour, sugar, rice, chocolate chips, and more. Recipes use 2/3 cup and other fractional measurements so ingredients can be precisely scaled and ratios controlled. Being familiar with what a 2/3 cup looks like, how it converts to tablespoons and ounces, and typical usage cases makes following recipes easier.
