Christmas Baking Conversions
Cups-to-grams conversion charts for Christmas cake, mince pies, stollen, and holiday baking. Dried fruit, nuts, spices, alcohol measurements, and all the festive ingredients you need — accurate and free.
Christmas and New Year baking relies on ingredients that don't appear in everyday recipe converters — dried fruit, glacé cherries, mixed spice, nuts, and alcohol measurements for feeding cakes. This guide covers all of them, with cups-to-grams conversions specific to festive and winter baking.
All cup values on this page are for US cups (237ml). If your recipe comes from Australia or New Zealand, use our cups-to-grams calculator and select UK/AU cup (250ml) for accurate results.
Dried Fruit — Christmas Cake & Mince Pies
| Ingredient | 1 cup (g) | ½ cup (g) | ¼ cup (g) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mixed Dried Fruit | 150g | 75g | 38g | Raisins, sultanas, currants, peel |
| Raisins | 150g | 75g | 38g | |
| Sultanas / Golden Raisins | 150g | 75g | 38g | |
| Currants | 144g | 72g | 36g | |
| Glacé Cherries (whole) | 160g | 80g | 40g | Halve before measuring for accuracy |
| Glacé Cherries (halved) | 170g | 85g | 43g | |
| Mixed Peel | 150g | 75g | 38g | |
| Chopped Dates | 147g | 74g | 37g | |
| Dried Cranberries | 120g | 60g | 30g | |
| Dried Apricots (chopped) | 130g | 65g | 33g | |
| Prunes (pitted, chopped) | 175g | 88g | 44g | |
| Dried Figs (chopped) | 150g | 75g | 38g |
Nuts — Christmas Cake, Stollen & Cookies
| Ingredient | 1 cup (g) | ½ cup (g) | ¼ cup (g) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walnut Halves | 100g | 50g | 25g |
| Walnuts (chopped) | 117g | 59g | 29g |
| Pecan Halves | 99g | 50g | 25g |
| Pecans (chopped) | 109g | 55g | 27g |
| Blanched Almonds (whole) | 140g | 70g | 35g |
| Flaked / Sliced Almonds | 92g | 46g | 23g |
| Ground Almonds | 95g | 48g | 24g |
| Hazelnuts (whole) | 135g | 68g | 34g |
| Hazelnuts (chopped) | 120g | 60g | 30g |
| Macadamia Nuts | 135g | 68g | 34g |
| Pistachios (shelled) | 123g | 62g | 31g |
| Pine Nuts | 135g | 68g | 34g |
Festive Spices (dry)
| Ingredient | 1 cup (g) | ½ cup (g) | ¼ cup (g) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mixed Spice | 115g | 58g | 29g | Typically used in tbsp — 1 tbsp = 7g |
| Ground Cinnamon | 119g | 60g | 30g | 1 tsp = 2.5g |
| Ground Nutmeg | 112g | 56g | 28g | 1 tsp = 2.3g |
| Ground Ginger | 112g | 56g | 28g | 1 tsp = 1.8g |
| Ground Cloves | 101g | 51g | 25g | 1 tsp = 2.1g |
| Ground Allspice | 101g | 51g | 25g | 1 tsp = 2.1g |
| Ground Cardamom | 90g | 45g | 23g | 1 tsp = 1.9g |
| Ground Star Anise | 100g | 50g | 25g | 1 tsp = 2g |
Alcohol Measurements — Feeding & Flavouring
Brandy, rum, and sherry are essential in Christmas cake. These measurements help you scale recipes that use cup measurements for alcohol.
| Measurement | ML | Tablespoons | Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 teaspoon | 5ml | ⅓ tbsp | Vanilla extract, flavourings |
| 1 tablespoon | 15ml | 1 | Weekly feed (small cake) |
| 2 tablespoons | 30ml | 2 | Weekly feed (standard cake) |
| ¼ cup | 60ml | 4 | Initial soak for fruit |
| ½ cup | 118ml | 8 | Large batch fruit soak |
| 1 cup | 237ml | 16 | Very large fruit soak / batch |
Standard Christmas Cake Ingredient Quantities
Typical quantities for a 23cm (9-inch) round Christmas cake (serves 16–20).
| Ingredient | Grams | US Cups |
|---|---|---|
| Mixed dried fruit | 900g | 6 cups |
| Glacé cherries | 100g | ⅔ cup |
| Plain flour | 225g | 1¾ cups |
| Dark brown sugar | 225g | 1 cup + 1 tbsp |
| Butter (unsalted) | 225g | 1 cup |
| Eggs (large) | 4 eggs | — |
| Walnuts or pecans | 100g | 1 cup |
| Brandy (for cake) | 60ml | ¼ cup |
| Mixed spice | 2 tsp (5g) | — |
| Ground cinnamon | 1 tsp (2.5g) | — |
| Ground nutmeg | ½ tsp (1.2g) | — |
| Black treacle | 1 tbsp (21g) | — |
New Year & January Baking
The festive baking season extends well beyond Christmas. January brings Epiphany (6th January) with its French galette des rois and Spanish roscón de reyes, Scottish Hogmanay shortbread, and a natural desire to use up leftover dried fruit, nuts, and spices from Christmas. The same cup-to-gram conversions apply — here are the most useful values for January baking projects.
| Ingredient | 1 cup | ½ cup | ¼ cup |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dark Chocolate Chips | 170g | 85g | 43g |
| Milk Chocolate Chips | 170g | 85g | 43g |
| Icing / Powdered Sugar | 120g | 60g | 30g |
| Ground Almonds | 95g | 48g | 24g |
| Flaked Almonds | 92g | 46g | 23g |
| Pecan Halves | 99g | 50g | 25g |
| Dried Cranberries | 120g | 60g | 30g |
| Plain Flour | 125g | 63g | 31g |
| Butter | 227g | 114g | 57g |
| Caster Sugar | 200g | 100g | 50g |
Christmas Baking Tips
Soak your dried fruit in brandy or rum overnight before baking — this plumps the fruit and adds flavour that develops over weeks of maturing.
Weigh dried fruit rather than measuring in cups. Fruit compresses differently depending on its moisture content, making volume measurements unreliable.
Christmas cake needs a lower oven temperature (140–150°C / Gas 1–2) than regular cakes. Low and slow prevents burning before the centre is cooked.
To feed the cake after baking, skewer holes in the top and spoon over 1–2 tablespoons of brandy weekly for 4–6 weeks. Wrap tightly in greaseproof paper.
Glacé cherries sink in cake batter unless you toss them in a tablespoon of flour first. The flour coating helps them stay suspended during baking.
Use a digital kitchen scale for Christmas baking — the quantities are large and small measurement errors compound. Cups work for everyday baking but not for large festive batches.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many grams in a cup of mixed dried fruit?
One US cup of mixed dried fruit weighs approximately 150 grams. This includes raisins, sultanas, currants, and mixed peel. If your fruit is very dry, it may be lighter; very moist fruit may weigh more.
How much brandy goes in a Christmas cake?
A standard 23cm Christmas cake needs 3–4 tablespoons (45–60ml) of brandy in the batter. After baking, feed weekly with 1–2 tablespoons per week for 4–6 weeks — about 120–180ml total over the maturing period.
How many grams is a cup of walnuts?
One US cup of walnut halves weighs 100 grams. Chopped walnuts are slightly denser at 117 grams per cup.
Can I substitute US cups in UK Christmas recipes?
Most traditional British Christmas recipes use grams, not cups. If adapting an American recipe, use our cups-to-grams calculator and select US cup (237ml). For Australian recipes, select UK/AU cup (250ml).
What can I bake with leftover Christmas ingredients?
Leftover dried fruit works well in flapjacks, fruit scones, and Bara brith. Leftover nuts are ideal for brownies, biscotti, and nut brittle. Leftover brandy can be used in tiramisu or rum and raisin ice cream. Mixed spice and cinnamon keep for months and can go into banana bread, winter cakes, and porridge toppings.
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