Cups In A Box Of Powdered Sugar

Knowing how many cups in a box of powdered sugar can be very useful, especially if you do a lot of baking! It is important to measure powdered sugar correctly because too much or too little can ruin a recipe. In this article, I will walk you through the uses of powdered sugar and how to measure it correctly out of a box!

Converting Powdered Sugar To Cups

If you've ever wondered how to measure powdered sugar or how many cups are in a box of powdered sugar, you've come to the right place! When baking, it is crucial to measure ingredients precisely so that your baked goods turn out delicious with the correct texture.

Powdered sugar (or confection's sugar) is a popular ingredient in every baker's pantry. Often you will find powered sugar in a 2-pound box (32 ounces) or plastic bag at the grocery store, so how do you measure it down to a cup?

Jump to:

• Converting Powdered Sugar To Cups
• What Is Powdered Sugar
• Uses For Powdered Sugar
• How Can I Make Powdered Sugar
• Do I Need To Sift Powdered Sugar
• Using The Spoon And Sweep Method
• How Many Cups In A Box Of Powdered Sugar
• Can You Substitute Granulated Sugar For Powdered Sugar
• 😋 Recipes Using Powdered Sugar
• 📖 Recipe Card
• 💬 Comments & Reviews

If you are looking for an alternative to powdered sugar, check out my post on powdered sugar substitutes!

What Is Powdered Sugar

Powdered sugar, confectioner's sugar, or icing sugar are one of the same- granulated sugar pulverized with small amounts of cornstarch. Cornstarch acts as an anti-caking agent to prevent the fine sugar powder from forming large clumps.

This popular form of sugar is used in baking when a recipe calls for sugar that will dissolve quickly and provide a smooth consistency.

Uses For Powdered Sugar

Powdered sugar is the primary ingredient in icing, whipped cream, buttercream frosting, and fondant. Furthermore, it is used to make fudge, candy, cookies, cakes, and meringues, as well as decorate (or dust) baked goods. Powdered sugar is also used as a sweetener in coffee and tea since it dissolves instantly.

How Can I Make Powdered Sugar

Powdered sugar is made by taking granulated sugar like cane or beet sugar and pulverizing it with corn starch in a food processor to make a very fine powder. Granulated sugar is essentially transformed into a light and fluffy product.

• Homemade powdered sugar: Use 1 tablespoon of cornstarch for every 1 cup of sugar and blend.

Do I Need To Sift Powdered Sugar

Typically recipes will tell you to sift ingredients before or after measuring because it makes a difference in volume. The main purpose of sifting is to remove any large clumps and to aerate the ingredient.

A rule of thumb is to always sift powdered sugar before making icing or frosting to avoid a gritty texture. You can use a sifter, sieve, or whisk to sift powdered sugar.

Sifted sugar will be lighter and fluffier than unsifted, therefore, it will take up more space in a measuring cup.

• 1 pound = 4 ½ cups of sifted powder
• 1 pound = 4 cups of unsifted powder

Using The Spoon And Sweep Method

To measure powdered sugar, I would use the same method as granulated sugar and flour - the spoon-and-sweep method (aka the spoon-and-level method or scoop-and-level method)!

First, check to see if the powdered sugar has lumps, you may want to stir or sift the sugar first depending on what recipe you are making. After that, use a spoon to transfer the sugar to fill a dry measuring cup to the top.

Finally, use a straight edge to level off any excess sugar!

How Many Cups In A Box Of Powdered Sugar

Powdered sugar out of the box weighs 4 ½ ounces per cup. To keep it simple, if a box is 1 pound (or 16 ounces), it will have 3 ½ cups of powdered sugar.

In order to measure correctly, check if your recipe calls for sifted or unsifted sugar. Sifted sugar takes up more space in a measuring cup compared to unsifted, 4 ounces of sifted powdered sugar will equal 1 cup.

Please note that when you buy powdered sugar in a box or plastic bag, it will come unsifted. Rely on your recipe instructions to determine if you need to sift before or after measuring the confectioners' sugar.

• 1 pound box = 3 ½ cups of powdered sugar
• 1 cup = 4 ounces of sifted powdered sugar
• 1 cup= 4 ½ ounces of unsifted powdered sugar

Can You Substitute Granulated Sugar For Powdered Sugar

Granulated sugar should be not substituted for powdered sugar because the textures are completely different and produce unexpected results.

Regular sugar will not dissolve or mix well in icing or frosting recipes and will end up very grainy. However, you may switch sugars in some baked goods like cookies or brownies, so prepare to have different textures.

• Use 1 ¾ cup of powdered sugar per 1 cup of granulated sugar.

😋 Recipes Using Powdered Sugar

• Vanilla Buttercream - This homemade vanilla frosting is great for topping any flavor of cake or cupcake!
• Blueberry Baked Donuts - These delicious blueberry donuts are the best way to start any busy weekday morning!
• Empire Biscuits - A classic Scottish biscuit filled with raspberry jam, topped with icing, and perfect for baking on the holidays!
• Russian Tea Cakes - This traditional Russian cookie recipe features tender and buttery cookies filled with chopped nuts!
• Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting - This peanut butter frosting recipe is a peanut butter lover's dream!
• Melting Moments - These holiday shortbread cookies will be a hit at any holiday party!

I hope that this article has helped you learn how many cups are in a box of powdered sugar and how to measure this ingredient correctly. Leave a comment down below to let me know your favorite powdered sugar recipe!

📖 Recipe Card