The short answer: about 120 g
A US cup of all-purpose flour, spooned into the cup and levelled off, weighs about 120 g. That is the figure our grams to cups converter uses, and the one most US baking references quote.
Other flours per cup (spooned and levelled)
| Flour | Grams per US cup |
|---|---|
| All-purpose flour | 120 g |
| Bread flour | 120 g |
| Whole wheat flour | 113 g |
| Cake flour | 100 g |
| Rye flour | 106 g |
These are typical values — grind, brand and humidity move them a few grams either way. Whole wheat is lighter per cup than white flour because the bran keeps it airier; cake flour is finest and lightest.
Why scooping changes everything
Scooping the cup straight into the bag packs the flour down and can add 20–30 g per cup — a 25% error that turns out dry, dense bakes. Spoon flour into the cup and level with a knife, or better, weigh it: 240 g of flour beats "2 cups" for repeatability every time. The grams to cups converter and grams to tablespoons converter use the same 120 g all-purpose figure.
Worked example
A recipe calls for 3 cups of all-purpose flour. Spooned and levelled, that's 3 × 120 = 360 g. Scooped, it could be 420 g or more — enough to ruin a cake. When a recipe gives both, always trust the grams.
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