Helpful Tips
This page is designed to be able to help those of you who don’t work in grams, or if you just need some help converting ingredients, weights, ingredients or temperatures etc! I myself have ALWAYS worked in grams, so forgive me if my conversions on my recipes are a little off, but hopefully this will help
Vegan Baking Swaps
- Milks – Instead of dairy milk, I prefer to use almond, soy or other nut milks – it’s a straight 1:1 swap.
- Creams – There are some good alternatives now, you just need to make sure they are full fat alternatives. Or, coconut cream works well.
- Buttermilk – add 20 ml of lemon juice to a dairy free milk to make a homemade vegan buttermilk.
- Soured cream/yoghurt – any vegan full-fat yoghurt works, typically with a coconut base
- Butter – you want to find a dairy free alternative that is as firm as possible. Spreads should be avoided if possible as the oil content is higher to make it softer.
- Eggs – 1 tbsp flax seeds or chia seeds with 3 tbsps of water makes a good alternative to replace eggs in some bakes. 60g of applesauce, half a mashed ripe banana, or 3 tbsps of aquafaba are also good swaps.
- Chocolates – there are many good swaps out there, but some plain chocolate are naturally vegan so check the labels
- Honey – maple syrup works wonders, or golden syrup
- Cheese – I have often made my savoury dishes vegan using straight swaps. Nutritional yeast is lovely to add to a cheesy dish as it brings the cheesy flavour, on top of using a vegan cheese alternative.
- Meat – you can find some brilliant vegan meat alternatives out there now such as fake chicken, sausages etc, and these all work well. Mushrooms make a brilliant swap for a more meaty texture, as well as pressed tofu and tempeh.
Gluten Free Baking Swaps
- Flours – Most flours have gluten free alternatives now, and they work well. The texture can vary slightly, but xanthan gum is a useful addition.
- Pasta – rice and lentil based pastas are often gluten free, but the gluten free pasta options work perfectly.
- Xanthan Gum – it can vary, but a good start is about ¼ tsp of xantham gum per 150g of flour.
- Custard powder – this can help like xanthan gum as well. As it has a cornflour base, it works wonders. I add 50g of custard powder to a cupcake mix, and 100g to a cake mix
- Biscuits – Again, the swaps work perfectly. Add butter to biscuits slower for a biscuit base as some may need slightly less to make a good biscuit base.
- Cornflour – some bakes such as cupcakes can be improved by using cornflour. A lot of custard powders contain just cornflour and are gluten free – custard powder can improve the texture of a bake tenfold.
Cooking Temperature Conversion Table
Fahrenheit to Celcius (F to C)
500 F = 260 C = 240C Fan = Gas Mark 10
465 F = 240 C = 220C Fan = Gas Mark 9
445 F = 230 C = 210C Fan = Gas Mark 8
425 F = 220 C = 200C Fan = Gas Mark 7
400 F = 200 C = 180C Fan = Gas Mark 6
375 F = 190 C = 170C Fan = Gas Mark 5
350 F = 180 C = 160C Fan = Gas Mark 4
325 F = 160 C = 140C Fan = Gas Mark 3
300 F = 150 C = 130C Fan = Gas Mark 2
285 F = 140 C = 120C Fan = Gas Mark 1
250 F = 120 C = 100C Fan = Gas Mark 1/2
Weight Conversion Tables
Cups, Tablespoons and Teaspoons to Millitiers (cup to ml)
1 cup = 16 tablespoons = 48 teaspoons = 240 ml
3/4 cup = 12 tablespoons = 36 teaspoons = 180 ml
2/3 cup = 11 tablespoons = 32 teaspoons = 160 ml
1/2 cup = 8 tablespoons = 24 teaspoons = 120 ml
1/3 cup = 5 tablespoons = 16 teaspoons = 80 ml
1/4 cup = 4 tablespoons = 12 teaspoons = 60 ml
1 tablespoon = 15 ml
1 teaspoon = 5 ml
Cups to Fluid Ounces (cup to fl. oz)
1 cup = 8 fl oz
3/4 cup = 6 fl oz
2/3 cup = 5 fl oz
1/2 cup = 4 fl oz
1/3 cup = 3 fl oz
1/4 cup = 2 fl oz
1 tablespoon = 0.5 fl oz
1 fl oz = 2 tablespoons = 6 teaspoons
Ounces to Grams
1 oz = 28 grams
2 oz = 56 grams
3.5 oz = 100 grams
4 oz = 112 grams
5 oz = 140 grams
6 oz = 168 grams
8 oz = 225 grams
9 oz = 250 grams
10 oz = 280 grams
12 oz = 340 grams
16 oz = 450 grams
18 oz = 500 grams
20 oz = 560 grams
24 oz = 675 grams
27 oz = 750 grams
36 oz = 1 kilogram
54 oz = 1,5 kilograms
72 oz = 2 kilograms
Pounds to Grams
1/4 pound = 112 grams
1/2 pound = 225 grams
3/4 pound = 340 grams
1 pound = 450 grams
1,25 pound = 560 grams
1,5 pound = 675 grams
2 pound = 900 grams
2,25 pound = 1 kilogram
3 pound = 1,35 kilograms
4,5 pound = 2 kilograms
Ingredients – This demonstrates how different 1 cup of different ingredients can weigh!
Flour – 1 cup = 140g
Butter – 1 cup = 2 sticks = 8oz = 230g
Granulated Sugar – 1 cup = 200g
Brown Sugar – 1 cup = 220g
Cocoa – 1 cup = 105g
Icing Sugar – 1 cup = 160g
Yoghurt – 1 cup = 235g
Milk – 1 cup = 245g
Cream – 1 cup = 245g
Sugar Temperature Conversion
Thread = 107C/225F
Softball = 119C/238F
Firmball = 125C/256F
Hardball = 138C/280
Soft Crack = 151C/304F
Hard Crack = 168C/336F
Cake Tin Sizes
Round Tins = Square Tins
6 inch/15cm = 5 inch/13cm
8 inch/20cm = 7 inch/18cm
9 inch/23cm = 8 inch/20cm
11 inch/28cm = 10inch/25.5cm
Hi could you tell me if you use muffin cases or cupcake cases…. only when I made the Oreo cupcakes I had to much mixture for the cupcake cases 😋
Hiya! I often use Cupcake Cases or Muffin Cases, but mine are the same size. Chances are you bought smaller ones 😊
Hi Jane!
Could you let me know how you get a cheesecake off the metal base? I must press the digestives down so firmly but then I can’t loosen it off and have to cut it on the metal circular base!
Any tips would be appreciated!! Thanks!
Hiya! I run a knife underneath and it lifts right off!
Hi Jane every time I make the lemon drizzle cake it’s lovely and fluffy on outside and very firm in centre (but tastes yummy) the mixture slightly curles every time when I add the lemon, and so maybe I over beat it to bring it back but just wondering if you have any suggestions to avoid this happening
It’s probably over mixing to be honest. The lemon shouldn’t curdle either, so try adding it in more carefully and beat slowly.
Hi I am having real trouble with my cupcake cases why would this be happening and can I have some tips to try and stop this please thank you x
Whats the trouble you are having with them?
Hi Jane I was just wondering what size ice cream scoop you used. I bought one but it’s rather large I was making the chocolate orange cupcakes, I ran out of mixture before I got to the end of the cases I had to scoop some out of the others they turned out fine a little uneven but where very delicious.
Hi Jane what size scoop do you use for your cupcakes
I bought an ice cream scoop . It did seem rather large when I was making chocolate orange cupcakes I was putting the mixture into the cases and ran out of mixture before I got to the end . So ended up spooning some out of the other cases. We all really enjoyed them can’t wait to try more
I use a 5cm in diameter one ☺️
Thank you, the one I was using is 7cm so that does definitely explains how I managed to run out of mixture 😂 a trip to the shops before making mint chocolate chip cupcakes. And thank you for sharing all your lovely recipes
How much do you fill the cupcake cases to endure the mixture rises nicely to the top of the cases when cooked?
Probably 2/3!
Hi Jane
Thank you for sharing your wonderful recipes they’re great! I am after some advice, I’ve made the kinder Bueno cupcakes and my cakes have peeled away from the cases 🙁 I’ve made 3 batches and tried longer in the oven, higher temp (as I think I undercooked my 1st batch) & it’s happened on about 80% of them it’s so disappointing. Any tips? Thanks
Sometimes it can depend on the baking cases, and how you cool them. Which cases do you use, and how do you cool them? Also, do you store them in a completely airtight box?
Hi Jane love your website. I am also gluten intollerant so just wondered when you might be posting more gluten free recipes. Have you found a decent bread one yet.
Your website is stunning, helpful in so many ways,and I adore the wonderful recipes you have chosen to share with everyone. I am so in love with everything you have done and I will be so happy to try out these great recipes. I feel like I have discovered treasure!
Hi! I’ve just tried to do the Lindt choc mousse and it’s all split ?. Do you think I overwhipped or put melted choc in too hot? It happened very quickly whereas was expecting to whip for a good few minutes??? Got a dinner party tomorrow night! X
Which mousse sorry? I don’t have a Lindt one? I would say try waiting for chocolate to be slightly cooler next time.
have you got any tips for getting a cheesecake off of the tin base once its set?
I use a thin metal spatula to lift it off the base and then I move it to a plate.
I tried the oreo cheesecake the base is quite hard even though I used 2 packets of biscuit and 125g of butter, do u have to leave it out before having it or is there something I’m doing wrong?
I’m not sure really – you shouldn’t have to leave it out. Try using 100g of butter next time! 🙂
Oh okay will try that next time…another question what butter do you use?
The cheapest I can find as its all quite expensive now!