Recipe Scaler Calculator — Scale Any Recipe Up or Down
Scale any recipe up or down instantly -- perfect for scaling up cake recipes, doubling dinner dishes, or halving a batch. Enter your original and desired servings, add your ingredients, and get perfectly scaled amounts displayed as easy-to-measure common fractions like 1/4, 1/3, 1/2, 2/3, and 3/4.
Ingredient Scaler
Add your recipe ingredients below. Click "Scale Recipe" above to see the scaled amounts with common fractions.
How to Scale Recipes Up or Down
Scaling a recipe is straightforward: divide the desired servings by the original servings to get your scale factor, then multiply each ingredient by that number. Our calculator does this automatically and converts decimal results into common fractions you can actually measure in the kitchen.
- Calculate the scale factor: Desired Servings / Original Servings = Scale Factor. Scaling from 4 to 8 servings gives a factor of 2.0. Scaling from 4 to 6 gives 1.5.
- Multiply each ingredient: If the original calls for 2 cups of flour and your factor is 1.5, you need 3 cups.
- Read the fractions: Our calculator converts decimals to common fractions (1/4, 1/3, 1/2, 2/3, 3/4) that match standard measuring cups and spoons.
- Adjust leavening carefully: Baking soda, baking powder, and yeast do not always scale linearly. When doubling, use about 1.75x the original leavening amount.
Common Fraction Reference
- 1/4 (0.25): Quarter cup, quarter teaspoon. The smallest standard measuring spoon/cup size.
- 1/3 (0.33): One-third cup. Common in baking recipes. Use a 1/3 cup measure.
- 1/2 (0.50): Half cup, half teaspoon. The most frequently used fraction in cooking.
- 2/3 (0.67): Two-thirds cup. Common for liquid ingredients. Use a 1/3 cup measure twice.
- 3/4 (0.75): Three-quarter cup. Use a 1/4 cup measure three times, or a 1/2 + 1/4.
Tips for Scaling Baking Recipes
- Pan sizes: Doubling a recipe does not mean doubling the pan. A 9" round pan has about 64 sq inches; two 9" pans or one 13x9" pan (117 sq inches) works for a doubled recipe.
- Baking time: Increase by 25-30% when doubling in a larger pan. If using two pans of the same size, the time stays roughly the same.
- Oven temperature: Keep the temperature the same in most cases. For very large batches, reduce by 25 degrees F and bake longer.
- Eggs: Scale eggs normally. For half an egg, beat a whole egg and measure out about 1.5 tablespoons.
- Butter: 1 stick = 1/2 cup = 8 tablespoons. When scaling, it helps to convert to tablespoons first.
How to Scale Up a Cake Recipe
Scaling up cake recipes requires extra attention to pan sizes and baking times. Here's a quick reference for common cake pan conversions when you multiply a recipe:
| Original Pan | Area (sq in) | Doubled Recipe Pan | Bake Time Adj. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8" round | 50 | Two 8" rounds or one 9×13" | Same or +5 min |
| 9" round | 64 | Two 9" rounds or one 9×13" | Same or +5 min |
| 9×13" | 117 | Half sheet pan (13×18") | +10-15 min |
| 8×8" square | 64 | 9×13" pan | +5-10 min |
Key tip: When scaling up a cake recipe by 1.5x or more, use 1.75x the leavening (baking powder/soda) instead of the full multiplier. Too much leavening causes cakes to rise and then collapse.
Measurement Conversion Chart for Scaling
When scaling recipes, you often need to convert between units. Here is a quick reference for common cooking measurements:
| Measurement | Tablespoons | Teaspoons | Milliliters | Fluid Ounces |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 cup | 16 | 48 | 237 ml | 8 fl oz |
| 3/4 cup | 12 | 36 | 177 ml | 6 fl oz |
| 2/3 cup | 10 2/3 | 32 | 158 ml | 5.3 fl oz |
| 1/2 cup | 8 | 24 | 118 ml | 4 fl oz |
| 1/3 cup | 5 1/3 | 16 | 79 ml | 2.7 fl oz |
| 1/4 cup | 4 | 12 | 59 ml | 2 fl oz |
| 1 tablespoon | 1 | 3 | 15 ml | 0.5 fl oz |
| 1 teaspoon | 1/3 | 1 | 5 ml | 0.17 fl oz |
Common Baking Ingredients: Cups to Grams
Weight measurements are more accurate for baking. Use this table when scaling recipes that use weight or when converting between cups and grams:
| Ingredient | 1 Cup (g) | 3/4 Cup (g) | 1/2 Cup (g) | 1/4 Cup (g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All-Purpose Flour | 120g | 90g | 60g | 30g |
| Granulated Sugar | 200g | 150g | 100g | 50g |
| Brown Sugar (packed) | 220g | 165g | 110g | 55g |
| Butter | 227g | 170g | 113g | 57g |
| Cocoa Powder | 85g | 64g | 43g | 21g |
| Powdered Sugar | 120g | 90g | 60g | 30g |
| Milk | 240g | 180g | 120g | 60g |
| Honey / Maple Syrup | 340g | 255g | 170g | 85g |
| Oats (rolled) | 90g | 68g | 45g | 23g |
| Cream Cheese | 230g | 173g | 115g | 58g |
Ingredient Substitution Quick Reference
- Buttermilk: 1 cup = 1 cup milk + 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar
- Self-rising flour: 1 cup = 1 cup all-purpose flour + 1.5 tsp baking powder + 0.25 tsp salt
- Brown sugar: 1 cup = 1 cup white sugar + 1 tablespoon molasses
- Cake flour: 1 cup = 1 cup all-purpose flour minus 2 tablespoons, plus 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- Heavy cream: 1 cup = 3/4 cup milk + 1/3 cup melted butter (for cooking, not whipping)
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you scale a recipe from 4 servings to 6?
To scale from 4 to 6 servings, divide 6 by 4 to get a scale factor of 1.5. Multiply every ingredient by 1.5. For example, 1 cup becomes 1 1/2 cups, 2 eggs become 3 eggs, and 1/2 teaspoon becomes 3/4 teaspoon. Our calculator handles all the math and displays results as easy-to-measure fractions.
Can you double a baking recipe?
Yes, you can double most baking recipes. Simply multiply all ingredients by 2. However, leavening agents (baking soda, baking powder, yeast) may need slight adjustments. Use about 1.75x the original leavening amount rather than a full 2x. Also consider using a larger pan or two standard pans, and increase baking time by 25-30%.
How do I halve a recipe that calls for 3 eggs?
Halving 3 eggs means you need 1.5 eggs. Use 1 whole egg plus half of another. To halve an egg, beat it in a bowl and measure out about 1.5 tablespoons (half the volume of a large egg, which is roughly 3 tablespoons total). Alternatively, use 1 whole egg plus 1 yolk for a richer result.
What ingredients don't scale well?
Leavening agents (baking soda, baking powder, yeast) should be scaled to about 1.75x when doubling rather than a full 2x. Strong spices like cayenne, cinnamon, and cloves can overpower a dish if doubled -- start at 1.5x and adjust. Salt should also be scaled conservatively. Cooking fats for sauteing do not need to scale linearly since pan surface area stays the same.
How do I convert recipe measurements?
Common conversions: 3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon, 4 tablespoons = 1/4 cup, 16 tablespoons = 1 cup, 2 cups = 1 pint, 4 cups = 1 quart. For weight: 1 cup of all-purpose flour is about 120g, 1 cup of sugar is about 200g, and 1 stick of butter is 1/2 cup or 113g. Our calculator handles the math so you just enter amounts and read scaled results.
How do I multiply a recipe?
To multiply a recipe, decide how many times larger you want to make it (2x, 3x, etc.), then multiply every ingredient amount by that number. For example, if a recipe calls for 1/2 cup butter and you want to triple it, you need 1 1/2 cups butter. Enter your original and desired servings in our calculator above and it will do the multiplication for you, showing results as easy-to-measure fractions.