What is 1 lb powdered sugar to cups?
The ingredient is set to powdered sugar, unsifted. Type a value in either box, and the answer shows it in the other unit as you type.
- Cups (cup)
- 3.779936
1 lb = 3.779936 cups (Powdered sugar, unsifted, 120 g per cup).
Cups (cup): 3.779936. 1 lb = 3.779936 cups (Powdered sugar, unsifted, 120 g per cup).
Cups (cup) by pounds (lb)
How to calculate
Converts pounds of powdered sugar to cups and back, from the weight of 1 cup (powdered sugar, unsifted: 120 g).
Example with the default inputs (Pounds (lb) 1, Ingredient Powdered sugar, unsifted, 120 g per cup): 1 lb = 3.779936 cups (Powdered sugar, unsifted, 120 g per cup).
Formula: cups = lbs × 453.59237 ÷ 120, where grams per cup depends on the ingredient (powdered sugar, unsifted: 120 g)
- Grams per cup are USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) portion weights for one level US cup (8 US fluid ounces): all-purpose flour 125 g (FDC 168894), granulated sugar 200 g (FDC 169655), brown sugar, packed 220 g (FDC 168833), powdered sugar, unsifted 120 g (FDC 169656), whole milk 244 g (FDC 171265), butter 227 g (FDC 173410), olive oil 216 g (FDC 171413), honey 339 g (FDC 169640), white rice, uncooked 185 g (FDC 169756).
- Water is pure water: 0.999975 kg per liter at 4 °C and 0.998207 kg per liter at 20 °C, from the Tanaka et al. (2001) density formula.
- How you fill the cup changes the weight: packed, sifted, or scooped flour can differ by 20% or more.
- The answer shows at most 6 decimal places (6 significant digits below 0.0001), rounded half up; the calculation keeps full precision.
Worked examples
Each example is checked against the calculator on every build.
- Pounds (lb) 1, Ingredient All-purpose flour, 125 g per cup gives Cups (cup) 3.628739.Source: USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy 168894: 1 cup = 125 g
- Pounds (lb) 2, Ingredient Granulated sugar, 200 g per cup gives Cups (cup) 4.535924.Source: USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy 169655: 1 cup = 200 g
- Pounds (lb) 1, Ingredient Powdered sugar, unsifted, 120 g per cup gives Cups (cup) 3.779936.Source: USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy 169656: 1 cup = 120 g
Other questions people ask
What is 1 lb of powdered sugar in cups?
1 lb of powdered sugar is 3.779936 cups. The formula is cups = lbs × 453.59237 ÷ 120: USDA FoodData Central lists 1 level US cup at 120 g (powdered sugar, unsifted, FDC 169656).
How do I convert pounds of powdered sugar to cups?
cups = lbs × 453.59237 ÷ 120, where grams per cup depends on the ingredient (powdered sugar, unsifted: 120 g). For example, 2 lbs of powdered sugar is 7.559873 cups.
Should I sift powdered sugar before I measure it?
Sifting makes a cup lighter. USDA FoodData Central lists a cup of powdered sugar at 120 g unsifted and 100 g sifted, and this page uses unsifted. So 1 lb (453.59237 g) is 3.779936 cups unsifted, or 4.535924 cups sifted.
How many cups is 1 lb of another ingredient?
It depends on the ingredient, because a weight does not fix the volume. 1 lb is about, in cups: all-purpose flour 3.629; granulated sugar 2.268; brown sugar, packed 2.062; water at 4 °C 1.917; water at 20 °C 1.921; whole milk 1.859; butter 1.998; olive oil 2.1; honey 1.338; white rice, uncooked 2.452. Pick the ingredient in the converter for its exact answer.