if you want to measure cocoa powder, all-purpose flour, or other mass measurements, it is best to use a digital scale. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eIf you prefer to use dry measuring cups, make sure you don't pack the flour into the cup and use something with a straight edge (such as a knife) to flatten the surface. If you overfill your 1 cup measure, you will add excess flour to your cake batter and it will end up dry.