I Have A Measurement Question....
Baking By kraftychristy Updated 10 Dec 2005 , 6:41am by bakersofcakes
When measuring ingredients like pureed pumpkin or shortening, do I use a dry measure or a liquid measure?
Thanks ya'll!
Christy
I'm not a pro cake decorator--just family stuff--but I've been baking since I was allowed in the kitchen as a kid, so this is what I do....
I measure pureed pumpkin in a liquid measuring cup.
Solid shortening & is a dry measure so you can evenly pack it in the measuring cup. Of course, oil or melted shortening would be a liquid measure.
Now, I've been told if you needed--say for example--1/2 cup of solid shortening, you could put 1/2 cup water in a liquid measuring cup & add shortening until the water line is at 1 cup. Of course, dump out the water unless you need it for the recipe. I usually pack it & level it in a dry measuring cup, though.
Hey, if anyone knows this is wrong, PLEASE let me know!!! 
Hope this helps!
I'm not a pro cake decorator--just family stuff--but I've been baking since I was allowed in the kitchen as a kid, so this is what I do....
I measure pureed pumpkin in a liquid measuring cup.
Solid shortening & is a dry measure so you can evenly pack it in the measuring cup. Of course, oil or melted shortening would be a liquid measure.
Now, I've been told if you needed--say for example--1/2 cup of solid shortening, you could put 1/2 cup water in a liquid measuring cup & add shortening until the water line is at 1 cup. Of course, dump out the water unless you need it for the recipe. I usually pack it & level it in a dry measuring cup, though.
Hey, if anyone knows this is wrong, PLEASE let me know!!!
Hope this helps!
Heehee, well the elderly nun that taught me cooking in Home Economics would likely have thrown her paring knife at you for even daring to suggest measuring shortening or butter or anything like that by dry measure, but I am with you kiddo, I do not bother with the liquid displacement method and have never had an issue. Sister Charlotte is probably looking down at me giving me the evil eye right now, haha but I don't think she would be allowed a paring knife if she went to heaven, right?
Hugs Squirrelly
My friends mom who is kinda teaching me is a Pastry Chef and she measures her shortening. 200gm=a cup and so forth. I like weighing better than the water method. I also took my measuring cup of shortening and weighed it and it is slightly more than 200gm(sometimes 
) so that may explain some no so perfect icing. I'm no Pastry Chef but that is what she does. She weighs everything!!!
You all probably already know this, but when I measure shortening, I use a dry measuring cup and I line it with plastic wrap. I can fill the cup and simply pull out the measured amount by the wrap and I don't have to wash the greasy mess out of the cup. When I know I have a big order coming up and will need shortening for my buttercream, I often make up a bunch of these in the 1 cup size and just pull the excess plastic over the top. That way they are completely wrapped and I can store them until I need them and I don't have to measure out something when I'm in a hurry.
Forgot to add, she even weighs the powdered sugar. Sometimes the weight it says on the bag is not actually the amount.
All commercial baking is done by formula based on weight as it is believed to be the most accurate method with the most consistent results. However if people are not using bakery scales, there is likely less consistency than there would be using measuring cups and spoons. Basically your best bet is to use the method your recipe calls for and if it comes from a domestic cookbook that calls for cups and such, it will give fairly consistent results if you measure properly.
Many none commercial scales are just not accurate enough to trust and the weights can be off a fair amount. Some people are happy with the results and there is some room for error in most recipes or formulas where a recipe will still turn out to some degree.
In many European countries baking is and always has been done by weight. In the U.S. and Canada most domestic baking was always done by measure.
You do have to know what kind of a recipe you are using, if it is a domestic one calling for 2 cups of flour you cannot assume this means 16 ounces by weight or your recipe would really be out. So if a recipe mentions ounces, or other weights, it means you have to weigh your ingredients, if it states cups and spoons, you use those measurements unless you convert all of your recipes.
Hugs Squirrelly
For some of my recipes, I have converted to the weight measurements. Not only is it more accurate, it's so much faster. I can put ingredients in the bowl and then hit the 'tare' button and continue adding without having to dump the bowl. Less clean up too by not having to use a bunch of different measuring cups.
Hey, maybe someone can help me understand why even when I measure, in a scale ,1 pound of confectioner's sugar for my Wilton buttercream icing--
1/2 c. shortening
1/2 c. butter/marg.
1 lb. confectioner's sugar, sifted (approx. 4 c.)
2 Tbsp. milk/water
1 tsp. vanilla
Cream shortening & butter. Add sugar 1 cup at-a-time. Add liquid & mix on medium 1 minute to proper consistency
--it ends up kinda thin. If I add 2 tsp. milk to 1 cup frosting to "ice" a cake or write the message, it practically pours out of the decorating bag.
It didn't used to be this way & I'm using the same measuring cups, recipe, etc. as I always did.
I only use Crisco shortening, Domino brand sugar, & pure vanilla. NOTHING has changed about my method, but for the last couple of years I just cannot get STIFF frosting. 
Also, the bags of all-purpose flour used to say there were 20 cups of flour in a 5 lb. bag. Now, it says there are 17 cups of flour. The toll house choc. chip cookie recipe says it takes 2-1/4 c. flour, but since the change of cups of flour in a 5 lb. bag, I always have to add at least another 1/2 to 3/4 cups flour to the cookie batter. What am I doing wrong???
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