Baking Essentials is GramToCup's catch-all for pantry staples that don't fit neatly elsewhere — fats, powders, leaveners and starches — so it has the widest mix of measuring methods on the site. The 8 ingredients here range from Cocoa powder (86g per cup) to Salt (table) (288g per cup).
This is the most mixed category on GramToCup — fats, a powder, small-quantity leaveners and starches, and chocolate chips — so gram-per-cup values span from 86g (Cocoa powder) to 288g (Salt (table)).
Salt (table) is the heaviest entry by far, because fine crystals or granules pack together with almost no trapped air.
Cocoa powder is the lightest and is best sifted before spooning and leveling, since it clumps easily.
How each baking essentials ingredient converts at common gram amounts, lightest to heaviest.
| Ingredient | g / cup | 50g | 100g | 200g | 250g | 500g |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cocoa powder | 86g | 0.58 cups | 1.16 cups | 2.33 cups | 2.91 cups | 5.81 cups |
| Coffee (ground) | 95g | 0.53 cups | 1.05 cups | 2.11 cups | 2.63 cups | 5.26 cups |
| Cornstarch | 128g | 0.39 cups | 0.78 cups | 1.56 cups | 1.95 cups | 3.91 cups |
| Chocolate chips | 170g | 0.29 cups | 0.59 cups | 1.18 cups | 1.47 cups | 2.94 cups |
| Baking powder | 192g | 0.26 cups | 0.52 cups | 1.04 cups | 1.30 cups | 2.60 cups |
| Lard | 205g | 0.24 cups | 0.49 cups | 0.98 cups | 1.22 cups | 2.44 cups |
| Margarine | 230g | 0.22 cups | 0.43 cups | 0.87 cups | 1.09 cups | 2.17 cups |
| Salt (table) | 288g | 0.17 cups | 0.35 cups | 0.69 cups | 0.87 cups | 1.74 cups |
Open any ingredient for its full density breakdown, quick conversion table, and measuring tips.
A butter substitute made from vegetable oils, used the same way in most recipes.
Rendered pork fat prized for producing very flaky pastry and pie crusts.
Unsweetened ground cocoa solids used to flavor cakes, brownies, and drinks.
Ground coffee beans, measured for brewing or as a flavoring in baked goods.
Small chocolate pieces designed to hold their shape when baked into cookies and bars.
Fine table salt, a dense seasoning where small volume changes affect flavor significantly.
A chemical leavening agent used in small amounts to help baked goods rise.
A fine starch used to thicken sauces, gravies, and fillings.
This category mixes fats, powders and small-quantity leaveners, so the right technique depends on what you’re measuring:
Soft-Solid / Wrapper Markings — Margarine
Use the tablespoon markings on the wrapper for small amounts of margarine, or press it firmly into a dry measuring cup and level the top for a full-cup measurement.
Solid or Melted — Lard
Measure lard solid and firmly packed if the recipe calls for it solid, or melt it first if the recipe specifies melted — the two methods give different weights for the same cup line.
Sift, Spoon & Level — Cocoa powder
Sift cocoa powder first to break up clumps, then spoon it into the measuring cup and level the top. Skipping the sift is the most common reason a cup ends up heavier than expected.
Scoop & Settle — Coffee (ground), Chocolate chips
Scoop or pour coffee (ground) into the measuring cup and gently shake to settle, then level the top. Don't press down — it settles naturally without packing.
Small-Quantity Level — Salt (table), Baking powder, Cornstarch
Salt (table) is usually measured in small amounts — use a measuring spoon rather than a cup, and level off the top for an accurate amount.
Fine table salt crystals pack together with almost no air, making salt one of the heaviest ingredients per cup on the whole site.
Chocolate chips are solid pieces with air gaps between them, while cocoa powder is a fine powder that compacts much more tightly once sifted.
Baking powder and cornstarch are usually measured in small amounts, where a single heaping spoonful makes a proportionally bigger difference than with flour or sugar.
Every conversion above uses the same data as the full calculator. Enter any gram amount for any ingredient in this category and get an instant cup conversion.
Use the Gram to Cup Calculator →100g of cocoa powder is approximately 1.16 cups, based on a density of 86g per US cup.
100g of salt (table) is approximately 0.35 cups, based on a density of 288g per US cup.
Fine salt crystals pack together tightly with almost no trapped air, while baking powder is a lighter, more granular blend of starch and leavening agents.
Yes — cocoa powder clumps easily, so sifting it first and then spooning and leveling gives a more accurate cup measurement than scooping straight from the container.