It's your friend's birthday and you decide to bake them a cake.

Person in colorful room wearing a lavender wig with braids. They're holding a cake and the text says

You get out your grandma's best red velvet cake recipe and look over the ingredients.

They include:

  • 4 fluid ounces of buttermilk

  • 16 ounces of flour

You wonder: What is the difference between fluid ounces and "regular" ounces? Aren't they the same?

Man with headset says

No, they're not the same, and yes, it matters! Knowing the difference between fluid ounces and ounces can make or break your cake.

Similiarities and Differences

Fluid ounces and ounces are both forms of measurement. Measuring accurately when cooking, and especially baking, ensures that your recipe will turn out well!

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Fluid Ounces

  • Measure the volume of a liquid

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Ounces

  • Measure the weight of a substance

Fluid Ounces

Clear glass bowl with cracked eggs inside it. The shells and measuring spoons are to its right.

Fluid ounces are a measurement of volume.

Volume is the amount of space that something occupies.

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How to measure fluid ounces:

  • Use a glass or plastic measuring cup for accuracy in recipes.

  • The best way to measure volume in chemistry-related tasks is with a graduated cylinder.

Quiz

Which of these would also be important to measure by fluid ounces so as to ensure accuracy? Select all that apply:

Ounces

A row of 3 tin measuring cups in decreasing size. The contain flour, brown sugar, and oats.

Ounces are a measurement of weight.

Weight is the heaviness of something.

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How to measure:

  • Use stacked measuring cups for larger amounts and measuring spoons for smaller amounts.

  • A food scale is another reliable option.

Take Action

Cartoon of a little girl mixing chocolate batter in a bowl. Some of it is dripping off the sides.

Now that you know the difference between fluid ounces and ounces, you're on your way to cooking with more accuracy!

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