Cup (cup) to Milliliter (ml)
A cup is an American volumetric unit commonly encountered in US recipes. One US cup equals 236.588 millilitres. When following an American recipe in the UK, you will need to convert cups to millilitres, as British kitchen measuring jugs are calibrated in millilitres and fluid ounces.
Frequently asked questions
One US cup is 236.588 millilitres, usually rounded to 237 ml for practical use. Note that an Australian metric cup is exactly 250 ml, which is slightly more. Always check which cup a recipe refers to — US cups are the most common standard online.
Half a cup (½ cup) is approximately 118.3 millilitres. A quarter cup (¼ cup) is around 59.1 ml. These are frequently used fractions in American baking recipes and are worth noting when scaling up or down.
A standard British mug holds around 250–300 ml, which is noticeably more than one US cup (237 ml). For drinks or casual cooking this is fine, but for baking — where precision matters — use a calibrated measuring jug or digital scales for best results.
One litre equals approximately 4.227 US cups. Conversely, 4 cups of liquid is slightly less than a litre — about 946 ml. If a recipe calls for 2 cups of liquid, measure out roughly 473 ml.