How many pounds (lbs) of brown sugar is equivalent to 4 1/2 cups?
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
Answer: 4 1/2 cups of packed brown sugar is equivalent to approximately 2.2 pounds (lbs).
Converting a volume measurement like cups into a weight measurement such as pounds requires a standard density for the ingredient in question. Unlike water, where one cup has a consistent weight, the weight of a cup of a dry ingredient like brown sugar can vary based on how tightly it is packed. For this reason, baking recipes and nutritional information rely on a standardized, accepted equivalent.
The standard for firmly packed brown sugar, as recognized in culinary arts and by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), is that one U.S. cup weighs approximately 220 grams. This packed measurement is crucial, as an unpacked cup would contain significantly less sugar and therefore weigh less, leading to inaccurate conversions and affecting the outcome of a recipe.
To determine the weight of 4 1/2 cups, one begins by calculating the total weight in grams. Multiplying the amount in cups (4.5) by the weight per cup (220 grams) yields a total of 990 grams.
The final step is to convert this gram total into pounds. The universal conversion factor is that one pound is equivalent to 453.59 grams. By dividing the total grams of the brown sugar (990) by the number of grams in a pound (453.59), the result is approximately 2.18 pounds. For most practical kitchen and commercial purposes, this figure is rounded to 2.2 pounds.
This conversion highlights why many professional bakers prefer to measure ingredients by weight rather than volume. Weight is an absolute measure, unaffected by factors like packing density or humidity, ensuring much greater consistency and precision from one batch to the next. A standard two-pound bag of brown sugar, for example, will contain just over four cups of packed sugar.
