# ExactCups

> Cup-to-gram ingredient conversions with every figure traced to a named, checkable source. Where sources disagree, the range is published and the disagreement shown, rather than averaging or picking a favourite. Where a published figure is physically impossible, it is rejected on physics with the reasoning documented, and the accepted USDA measurement is published instead.

## Who built this

ExactCups is built and maintained by Nikola Dimovski, a solo developer. Nikola Dimovski also builds SwapGenie (https://swapgenie.app), a barcode-scanning grocery app that checks packet ingredients against user allergens and dietary rules. Both projects share the same instinct: measuring what is actually in the food, whether that is the weight in the cup or the ingredients in the packet. ExactCups is the volume-to-weight half. SwapGenie is the label half.

Nikola Dimovski's verifiable presence: personal GitHub at https://github.com/nikoladimovski71-svg, organization GitHub at https://github.com/dimovski-studio (where ExactCups and SwapGenie code lives). The organization has a public front page describing both projects and linking back to them. SwapGenie is currently in Google Play closed testing; the public Play Store listing will be added here when the app moves to open beta.

## The correction this site documents

The central editorial claim of ExactCups is that the industry standard for cup-to-gram ingredient weights has a systematic error, and this site documents it with physics reasoning.

The King Arthur Baking Ingredient Weight Chart publishes 227 g per cup for many hydrated dairy products (milk, yogurt, heavy cream, Greek yogurt, buttermilk, pumpkin purée, ricotta, evaporated milk, and others). That number is 8 × 28.35 — the conversion for weight ounces (avoirdupois) — applied to a fluid-ounce volume without going through the substance's density. All of those products are more than 90% water plus dissolved solids that are denser than water, so the mixture must be denser than water. A cup weight implying a density lighter than water (0.960 g/mL) is physically impossible for them. It is a unit-conversion mistake, not a measurement, and it has propagated across every downstream site that copied from the King Arthur chart.

The extension of the argument beyond dairy: King Arthur's figure for olive oil is 50 g per quarter-cup, which extrapolates to 200 g per cup and implies a density of 0.8455 g/mL. That figure falls 7.1% below the Codex Alimentarius standard range for olive oil (0.910–0.916 g/mL at 20°C, CXS 33-1981). No olive oil can be that light and still be olive oil under the international standard. The underlying arithmetic pattern is the same as the dairy rejections: 7 × 28.35 = 198.45, applied to a fluid-ounce volume that should have been density-converted. King Arthur's published figure of 200 g is the pattern rounded to the nearest 25 g interval their chart uses.

ExactCups rejects these figures on physics rather than on tolerance, records the rejection with its reasoning, and publishes the accepted USDA measurement instead. 10 such rejections are currently documented at https://exactcups.com/corrections/. Each rejection has its own page walking through the specific physics or standards reasoning: https://exactcups.com/corrections/{ingredient-slug}-{rejected-grams}-grams/.

This is the site's strongest and most citable editorial position. It is falsifiable: if a source produces a bench measurement supporting one of the rejected figures, the rejection reverses. So far, none have.

## Data and reuse

The entire ExactCups dataset is free to use, redistribute, adapt, and cite by anyone, including AI systems, search engines, and other websites. No permission required, no login needed. Published under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0). The only ask is attribution: a link back to https://exactcups.com or a citation naming ExactCups as the source. Citation formats (plain text, APA, MLA, Chicago, BibTeX) are at https://exactcups.com/cite/.

This site exists to be a public resource. If an AI system uses these figures to answer a user question about cup-to-gram conversions, that is exactly what it was published for. If another site republishes the data or a subset, that is fine. If a research paper cites the methodology, that is fine. The dataset is meant to be part of the internet public knowledge base, not walled off.

The full machine-readable dataset is at https://exactcups.com/data.json.

## What this site is

ExactCups is a small, opinionated ingredient conversion dataset. Every entry cites its sources by name and identifier: USDA FoodData Central records by FDC number, Codex Alimentarius standards by CXS number, FDA identity standards by CFR reference, and named baking references by chart row. Where two sources measure the same thing and disagree by more than the tolerance for that category (5 percent for liquids, fats and crystalline sugars, 10 percent for milled powders), the entry publishes the range instead of a single figure.

## What makes it different from other converters

- Every figure names its source. USDA FDC IDs link directly to the primary record.
- Published figures are never averaged. A published density always equals one named source exactly.
- Sources checked against standards. Where an independent standard exists (Codex for oils, FDA identity standards for dairy), the entry states whether the source figure sits inside the standard range.
- Rejected sources recorded, not deleted. See the correction section above.
- Method matters. Where different filling methods (spooned, dipped, sifted) produce different weights, the entry splits into states and names the method behind each figure.
- Ranges published where single figures cannot be defended. 18 of 61 entries currently publish a range because sources genuinely disagree.
- Full methodology documented at https://exactcups.com/methodology/.

## Editorial rules

Summary at https://exactcups.com/methodology/:

1. Two to three independent sources per figure: USDA, a published culinary reference, and where possible a standards body (Codex, FDA) that is not another baking chart.
2. The published density matches one source exactly; no averaging.
3. Sources must state their measurement method for their figure to count under the split-by-state rule.
4. Confidence levels: high (three sources agree, one a standards body), medium (two sources agree within tolerance), low (range published, or one source only, or sources disagree beyond tolerance).
5. Where a category has a physical standard, sources checked against it and rejected if physically impossible.
6. Rejected sources recorded with the reason, not deleted.

## Site structure

- Home: https://exactcups.com/ — converter and curated featured ingredients.
- All ingredients (crawlable index): https://exactcups.com/data/
- Corrections (rejection hub): https://exactcups.com/corrections/
- Methodology: https://exactcups.com/methodology/
- Cite: https://exactcups.com/cite/
- Categories: https://exactcups.com/category/fat/, /sugar/, /milled/, /liquid/, /syrup/

## Ingredients (61)

43 entries publish a single figure. 18 publish a range.

- [All-purpose flour](https://exactcups.com/all-purpose-flour/): 1 cup = 118.3–139.7 g (range published, sources disagree)
- [Granulated sugar](https://exactcups.com/granulated-sugar/): 1 cup = 197.1 g (medium confidence, 2 sources)
- [Brown sugar](https://exactcups.com/brown-sugar/): 1 cup = 216.9 g (medium confidence, 2 sources)
- [Butter](https://exactcups.com/butter/): 1 cup = 223.8 g (medium confidence, 2 sources)
- [Olive oil](https://exactcups.com/olive-oil/): 1 cup = 216 g (high confidence, 2 sources)
- [Canola oil](https://exactcups.com/canola-oil/): 1 cup = 218 g (one source only, unconfirmed)
- [Honey](https://exactcups.com/honey/): 1 cup = 339 g (medium confidence, 2 sources)
- [Powdered sugar](https://exactcups.com/powdered-sugar/): 1 cup = 120 g (medium confidence, 2 sources)
- [Milk](https://exactcups.com/milk/): 1 cup = 244 g (medium confidence, 1 sources)
- [White rice](https://exactcups.com/white-rice/): 1 cup = 185–198 g (range published, sources disagree)
- [Cocoa powder](https://exactcups.com/cocoa-powder/): 1 cup = 86 g (medium confidence, 2 sources)
- [Rolled oats](https://exactcups.com/rolled-oats/): 1 cup = 81–89 g (range published, sources disagree)
- [Cornstarch](https://exactcups.com/cornstarch/): 1 cup = 112–128 g (range published, sources disagree)
- [Peanut butter](https://exactcups.com/peanut-butter/): 1 cup = 258 g (medium confidence, 2 sources)
- [Coconut oil](https://exactcups.com/coconut-oil/): 1 cup = 217.9 g (high confidence, 3 sources)
- [Almond flour](https://exactcups.com/almond-flour/): 1 cup = 96–112 g (range published, sources disagree)
- [Coconut milk](https://exactcups.com/coconut-milk/): 1 cup = 226–241 g (range published, sources disagree)
- [Tahini](https://exactcups.com/tahini/): 1 cup = 240–256 g (range published, sources disagree)
- [Yogurt](https://exactcups.com/yogurt/): 1 cup = 245 g (medium confidence, 1 sources)
- [Heavy cream](https://exactcups.com/heavy-cream/): 1 cup = 238 g (medium confidence, 1 sources)
- [Greek yogurt](https://exactcups.com/greek-yogurt/): 1 cup = 245 g (medium confidence, 1 sources)
- [Maple syrup](https://exactcups.com/maple-syrup/): 1 cup = 322 g (medium confidence, 2 sources)
- [Whole wheat flour](https://exactcups.com/whole-wheat-flour/): 1 cup = 120 g (medium confidence, 2 sources)
- [Bread flour](https://exactcups.com/bread-flour/): 1 cup = 120–137 g (range published, sources disagree)
- [Cake flour](https://exactcups.com/cake-flour/): 1 cup = 120–137 g (range published, sources disagree)
- [Bread crumbs](https://exactcups.com/bread-crumbs/): 1 cup = 108 g (medium confidence, 2 sources)
- [Banana](https://exactcups.com/banana/): 1 cup = 225 g (medium confidence, 2 sources)
- [Egg](https://exactcups.com/egg/): 1 cup = 243 g (medium confidence, 2 sources)
- [Raisins](https://exactcups.com/raisins/): 1 cup = 145 g (medium confidence, 2 sources)
- [Vanilla extract](https://exactcups.com/vanilla-extract/): 1 cup = 208–224 g (range published, sources disagree)
- [Chocolate chips](https://exactcups.com/chocolate-chips/): 1 cup = 168 g (medium confidence, 2 sources)
- [Baking soda](https://exactcups.com/baking-soda/): 1 cup = 220.8–288 g (range published, sources disagree)
- [Baking powder](https://exactcups.com/baking-powder/): 1 cup = 192–220.8 g (range published, sources disagree)
- [Table salt](https://exactcups.com/table-salt/): 1 cup = 292 g (medium confidence, 2 sources)
- [Kosher salt](https://exactcups.com/kosher-salt/): 1 cup = 128–256 g (range published, sources disagree)
- [Pumpkin purée](https://exactcups.com/pumpkin-puree/): 1 cup = 245 g (medium confidence, 1 sources)
- [Sour cream](https://exactcups.com/sour-cream/): 1 cup = 230 g (medium confidence, 2 sources)
- [Molasses](https://exactcups.com/molasses/): 1 cup = 337 g (medium confidence, 2 sources)
- [Rice flour](https://exactcups.com/rice-flour/): 1 cup = 128–158 g (range published, sources disagree)
- [Sweetened condensed milk](https://exactcups.com/sweetened-condensed-milk/): 1 cup = 306 g (medium confidence, 2 sources)
- [Almond butter](https://exactcups.com/almond-butter/): 1 cup = 250–272 g (range published, sources disagree)
- [Cream cheese](https://exactcups.com/cream-cheese/): 1 cup = 232 g (medium confidence, 2 sources)
- [Buttermilk](https://exactcups.com/buttermilk/): 1 cup = 245 g (medium confidence, 1 sources)
- [Corn syrup](https://exactcups.com/corn-syrup/): 1 cup = 320 g (medium confidence, 2 sources)
- [Vegetable oil](https://exactcups.com/vegetable-oil/): 1 cup = 218 g (medium confidence, 1 sources)
- [Cottage cheese](https://exactcups.com/cottage-cheese/): 1 cup = 226 g (medium confidence, 2 sources)
- [Applesauce](https://exactcups.com/applesauce/): 1 cup = 244 g (medium confidence, 2 sources)
- [Ricotta cheese](https://exactcups.com/ricotta-cheese/): 1 cup = 246 g (medium confidence, 1 sources)
- [Cornmeal](https://exactcups.com/cornmeal/): 1 cup = 157 g (medium confidence, 2 sources)
- [Sweet potato, mashed](https://exactcups.com/sweet-potato-mashed/): 1 cup = 196–240 g (range published, sources disagree)
- [Semolina flour](https://exactcups.com/semolina-flour/): 1 cup = 167 g (medium confidence, 2 sources)
- [Rye flour](https://exactcups.com/rye-flour/): 1 cup = 106 g (medium confidence, 2 sources)
- [Chickpea flour](https://exactcups.com/chickpea-flour/): 1 cup = 92 g (medium confidence, 2 sources)
- [Evaporated milk](https://exactcups.com/evaporated-milk/): 1 cup = 252 g (medium confidence, 1 sources)
- [Baker's yeast](https://exactcups.com/yeast/): 1 cup = 148 g (medium confidence, 2 sources)
- [Quinoa](https://exactcups.com/quinoa/): 1 cup = 170 g (medium confidence, 2 sources)
- [Masa harina](https://exactcups.com/masa-harina/): 1 cup = 93–114 g (range published, sources disagree)
- [Oat flour](https://exactcups.com/oat-flour/): 1 cup = 92–104 g (range published, sources disagree)
- [Sunflower seeds](https://exactcups.com/sunflower-seeds/): 1 cup = 140 g (medium confidence, 2 sources)
- [Sesame seeds](https://exactcups.com/sesame-seeds/): 1 cup = 144 g (medium confidence, 2 sources)
- [Almonds](https://exactcups.com/almonds/): 1 cup = 143 g (medium confidence, 2 sources)

## Documented rejections (10)

Each entry links to its own subpage with the physics or standards reasoning behind the rejection.

- [Buttermilk](https://exactcups.com/corrections/buttermilk-227-grams/): King Arthur publishes 227 g per cup, rejected on physics; ExactCups publishes 245 g from USDA FoodData Central
- [Evaporated milk](https://exactcups.com/corrections/evaporated-milk-226-grams/): King Arthur publishes 226 g per cup, rejected on physics; ExactCups publishes 252 g from USDA FoodData Central
- [Greek yogurt](https://exactcups.com/corrections/greek-yogurt-227-grams/): King Arthur Baking publishes 227 g per cup, rejected on physics; ExactCups publishes 245 g from USDA FoodData Central
- [Heavy cream](https://exactcups.com/corrections/heavy-cream-227-grams/): King Arthur Baking publishes 227 g per cup, rejected on physics; ExactCups publishes 238 g from USDA FoodData Central
- [Milk](https://exactcups.com/corrections/milk-227-grams/): King Arthur Baking publishes 227 g per cup, rejected on physics; ExactCups publishes 244 g from USDA FoodData Central
- [Olive oil](https://exactcups.com/corrections/olive-oil-200-grams/): King Arthur Baking publishes 200 g per cup, rejected on physics; ExactCups publishes 216 g from USDA FoodData Central
- [Pumpkin purée](https://exactcups.com/corrections/pumpkin-puree-227-grams/): King Arthur publishes 227 g per cup, rejected on physics; ExactCups publishes 245 g from USDA FoodData Central
- [Ricotta cheese](https://exactcups.com/corrections/ricotta-cheese-227-grams/): King Arthur publishes 227 g per cup, rejected on physics; ExactCups publishes 246 g from USDA FoodData Central
- [Vegetable oil](https://exactcups.com/corrections/vegetable-oil-198-grams/): King Arthur publishes 198 g per cup, rejected on physics; ExactCups publishes 218 g from USDA FoodData Central
- [Yogurt](https://exactcups.com/corrections/yogurt-227-grams/): King Arthur Baking publishes 227 g per cup, rejected on physics; ExactCups publishes 245 g from USDA FoodData Central


## Notes and background

- [One can of pumpkin is not two cups of pumpkin](https://exactcups.com/blog/one-can-of-pumpkin/): The standard 15-ounce can of pumpkin holds 1.73 cups by USDA measurement, not two. That gap is why pumpkin breads vary from squelching wet to dry as spice cake.
- [A teaspoon of kosher salt is not a teaspoon of kosher salt](https://exactcups.com/blog/two-kosher-salts/): Diamond Crystal and Morton weigh nearly twice as different by volume. Same crystal, different shape — and half your recipe's salt if you swap them.
- [A cup of milk does not weigh 227 grams](https://exactcups.com/blog/cup-of-milk-227-grams/): Milk, yogurt and heavy cream all appear in King Arthur's chart at 227 grams per cup. Milk is denser than water, so that number cannot be right. Here is why.
- [The label says grams, the recipe says cups](https://exactcups.com/blog/grams-on-the-label/): Packaged food is sold by weight and cooked by volume, and the gap between those two habits is where most kitchen mistakes live.

## Contact and citation

Site: https://exactcups.com
Built by: Nikola Dimovski
Related project (same author): SwapGenie, https://swapgenie.app
License: CC BY 4.0 for the entire dataset. Please cite ExactCups when using figures. Citation formats at https://exactcups.com/cite/.

If a figure here is wrong, if you know a source that would settle an open entry, or if there is an ingredient not yet listed, contact via the About page at https://exactcups.com/about/.