Whether you are cooking for a large party or just downsizing a meal for two, scaling a recipe is more than just basic multiplication. This calculator uses the Conversion Factor Method to ensure your ingredient ratios stay perfectly balanced.
The Scaling Formula
The math behind recipe adjustment is simple: Desired Servings ÷ Original Servings = Conversion Factor. You then multiply every ingredient quantity by this factor to get your new measurement.
Practical Example: Scaling Pancakes
Original Recipe: 4 Servings, 2 cups of flour.
Desired Yield: 10 Servings.
The Math: 10 / 4 = 2.5 (Conversion Factor).
New Quantity: 2 cups × 2.5 = 5 cups of flour.
Important Tips for Large-Scale Cooking
While most ingredients scale linearly, some require caution:
Spices and Seasonings: When doubling or tripling a recipe, don't automatically double the salt, chili powder, or potent spices. Start with 1.5x the amount and taste as you go.
Leavening Agents: Baking powder and soda usually scale well, but in extremely large batches (e.g., 10x), you may need slightly less than the calculated amount.
Pan Size: Remember that scaling ingredients changes the volume. If you double a cake recipe, you will either need two pans or a significantly larger pan, which will affect the baking time.
Surface Area: If you are reducing a sauce in a wide pan, it will evaporate much faster when the volume is halved. Keep an eye on moisture levels.
Common Kitchen Conversions
Measurement
Equivalent
1 Tablespoon
3 Teaspoons
1/4 Cup
4 Tablespoons
1 Cup
16 Tablespoons
1 Pint
2 Cups
1 Quart
4 Cups (2 Pints)
1 Gallon
4 Quarts
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