Baking and cooking is all about fractions. You get 1/4 cup, 1/2 cup, 2/3 cup, and 3/4 cup in nearly every recipe. The numbers are little. But believe me, they do come into play while you are baking bread. Also when you are creaming cookie dough, or preparing sauces. One of the most common questions people ask is: how many 1/4 cup do I need to get 2/3 cup?
The quick way: roughly 2 and 2/3 of a 1/4 cup is 2/3 cup.
It’s two scoops of a 1/4 cup and a bit more. It is approximately two-thirds of another scoop. You can’t scoop out two-thirds of a 1/4 cup to the measure exactly unless you’re measuring by spoonfuls, but you can get close enough. Unfortunately, we’ll be doing it step by step.
Table of Contents
Fractions in Cups
It is simple to envision cups as whole.
- 1 whole cup is the complete unit
- 1/2 cup is half a whole cup
- 1/4 cup is a quarter of a whole cup
- 2/3 cup is two thirds of a cup if you divide it into three parts
Now we need to determine how many times 1/4 goes into 2/3.
Doing the Math
Here’s the math in easy steps:
We need to calculate: 2/3 ÷ 1/4 = ?
Change 1/4 into 4/1 and divide: 2/3 ÷ 4/1 = 8/3
8/3 is 2 and 2/3
So you mathematically need 2 and 2/3 scoops of 1/4 cup so as to achieve 2/3 cup.
And that is why two scoops of 1/4 cup is not sufficient (that leaves you with just 1/2 cup), and three scoops of 1/4 cup is excessive (that leaves you with 3/4 cup). You prefer something in the middle.
Simple Kitchen ShortCut
If you have just a 1/4 cup measuring scoop but you require 2/3 cup, this is what you do:
- Measure out your 1/4 cup once and put it in the bowl
- Measure again and put it in the bowl (you now have 1/2 cup)
- Measure again, roughly two-thirds full, and put it in
That will get you more or exactly 2/3 cup.
This works great for sugar, flour, rice, milk, water, or anything else.
Accuracy Is Necessary
Close enough is acceptable to others when they’re cooking. Perhaps it is when you’re serving soup or stew. Baking is different; it ruins a recipe with minor mistakes. Baking is a science where the ratio of wet ingredients and dry ingredients must be precisely so.
- Adding too much flour makes bread or cake too dense
- Adding too much sugar makes cookies too sweet
- Adding too much liquid makes batter too thin
- Too little butter causes cakes to crumble and become dry
This is the reason that having the ability to calculate the math of 1/4 cups adding up to 2/3 cup is key to success.
Real-Life Uses of Cooking
This is the way this translates into real recipes:
- Cookies: If the recipe is 2/3 cup sugar, grab 2 scoops of 1/4 cups, and then a third scoop of 1/4 cup full.
- Cake batter: To get 2/3 cup milk, do it with your 1/4 cup scoop.
- Rice: If the recipe is 2/3 cup dry rice, use two scoops of 1/4 cup and a little more.
- Pancakes: To get 2/3 cup water, use the same trick.
After a little practice, you’ll have this routine second nature in your kitchen.
Measurement in Tablespoons
Many times you don’t even have a 1/4 cup scoop, but you can fall back on tablespoons.
- 1 cup = 16 tablespoons
- 1/2 cup = 8 tablespoons
- 1/4 cup = 4 tablespoons
- 2/3 cup = 10 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons
So when you’re measuring 2/3 cup but you only have a tablespoon, take out 10 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons. And then you’ll always get it just right.
Practicing with Water
Water is a good thing to practice fractions with. Try the following exercise:
- Fill your 1/4 cup scoop with water and pour into the glass
- Do it again so that you have 1/2 cup in the glass
- Half fill your 1/4 scoop and pour it in
You now have a picture of what 2/3 cup is. This activity brings fractions into everyday life and is easy to remember.
Teaching Fractions to Kids
Cooking will probably be the simplest way to introduce children to fractions. They do not need to learn numbers on paper but observe fractions on real ingredients.
- Two 1/4 cups = 1/2 cup
- Four 1/4 cups = 1 cup
- 2 and 2/3 of a 1/4 cup = 2/3 cup
The kids can be compelled to do practice work using measuring water, flour, rice, or sugar. It is useful and enjoyable for them.
People’s Common Mistakes
There are some mistakes people make while attempting to take 2/3 cup from 1/4 cups. They are:
- Taking two scoops of 1/4 cups (i.e., short of 1/2 cup)
- Taking three scoops of 1/4 cups (i.e., too much of 3/4 cup)
- Guesstimating the remaining amount rather than measuring accurately
- Not leveling off the scoop with a knife while scooping out flour or sugar
The correct method is: two whole scoops of 1/4 cup and about two-thirds of a third scoop.
Why Recipes Use 2/3 Cup
You may wonder why recipes use 2/3 cup and not 1/2 cup or 3/4 cup. It is because of balance.
- 2/3 cup is larger than 1/2 but smaller than 3/4
- It offers the most suitable sweetness, texture, or moisture to foods
- 2/3 cup is generally best for professional recipe testers to operate with cakes, cookies, breads, or sauces
That is why you see 2/3 cup so often in cookbooks.
Quick Conversion Chart
Here’s a convenient chart to have in your kitchen:
- 1/4 cup = 4 tablespoons
- 1/2 cup = 8 tablespoons
- 2/3 cup = 10 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons
- 3/4 cup = 12 tablespoons
- 1 cup = 16 tablespoons
If you memorize this, you’ll never have any problem measuring.
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What if You Need More Than 2/3 Cup
Your recipe sometimes calls for more than 2/3 cup. Don’t worry, you can still use your 1/4 cup scoop.
- 1 cup = 4 scoops of 1/4 cup
- 1 1/2 cups = 6 scoops of 1/4 cup
- 2 cups = 8 scoops of 1/4 cup
- 2 and 2/3 scoops of 1/4 cup
This trick will help you measure anything even if all you have is a 1/4 cup scoop.
Useful Kitchen Tricks
These are some useful tips to get the measurements correct every time:
- Always scoop dry ingredients like flour or sugar level using a knife
- Read the numbers aloud while scooping out a few times
- Use tablespoons in case you need extremely precise measure
- Use children to educate them as you measure
Use the above and you will save time and will make your recipes identical.
FAQs
Q: Can I take three 1/4 cups?
A: That will be 3/4 cup, more than 2/3 cup.
Q: How can I have 2/3 cup if I don’t have a 1/4 scoop?
A: Just use a scoop of 2 and 2/3 from a 1/4 scoop.
Q: Can I use 3/4 cup?
A: Not if the recipe matters, particularly baking. 3/4 is greater than 2/3 and could alter the recipe outcomes.
Q: Does 2/3 cup occur often in recipes?
A: It appears in most recipes because it yields a texture and taste balance.
Q: Can children learn fractions in that way?
A: Yes. Measuring in cups is perhaps the simplest and most enjoyable way to understand fractions.
Last Thoughts
How many 1/4 cups do you wish to have so that you will have 2/3 cups? Easy: two full scoops of 1/4 and about two-thirds of the third scoop.
This is a simple trick to learn and memorize. Do it on water, flour, sugar, or rice, and before long you’ll be doing it instinctively. Baking and cooking will be a cinch once you have fractions memorized in the kitchen.
With this simple skill, you’ll never be there procrastinating to reach for which measuring cup again. Foods will always be perfect just right, and with every cook or bake, you’ll feel more confident.
