About PastryCal Recipe Calculator
Our Mission
PastryCal was created to solve a common challenge faced by bakers, chefs, and cooking enthusiasts: accurately calculating recipe costs while dealing with complex unit conversions and ingredient density variations.
We believe that understanding the true cost of your recipes should be simple, accurate, and accessible to everyone - from home bakers experimenting in their kitchens to professional chefs running commercial operations.
What Makes PastryCal Unique
Intelligent Unit Conversion
Our calculator automatically handles conversions between mass (kg, g) and volume (L, ml, tbsp, tsp) units using scientifically-researched density data for hundreds of ingredients.
Comprehensive Ingredient Database
We maintain an extensive database of ingredient densities, including specialized baking ingredients, flours, sweeteners, dairy products, and more - with smart alias matching for common ingredient names.
Privacy-First Design
All your recipe data stays on your device. We don't collect, store, or transmit your ingredient lists, prices, or calculations to our servers.
Professional PDF Export
Generate clean, professional cost breakdown sheets perfect for recipe costing, menu planning, or sharing with clients and team members.
How It Works
Input Your Ingredients
Add ingredients with their purchase prices and quantities. Our smart search recognizes hundreds of ingredients and their common aliases.
Build Your Recipe
Select ingredients and specify quantities in any unit. The calculator automatically converts between units using precise density data.
Get Accurate Costs
See real-time cost calculations as you build your recipe. The system handles complex conversions between mass and volume units seamlessly.
Export & Share
Generate professional PDF reports with ingredient quantities, units, and costs in a clean, table-based format.
Technical Excellence
PastryCal is built with modern web technologies and follows best practices for accuracy and reliability:
- Precision Calculations: All mathematical operations use floating-point precision with proper rounding
- Real-time Updates: Costs recalculate instantly as you modify ingredients or quantities
- Data Persistence: Your work is automatically saved in your browser's local storage
- Cross-browser Compatibility: Works seamlessly across all modern web browsers
- Responsive Design: Optimized for both desktop and tablet devices
Our Ingredient Database
We've meticulously researched and compiled density data for over 200 common baking and cooking ingredients, including:
Flours & Starches
All-purpose flour, bread flour, cake flour, cornstarch, potato starch, and more with precise density variations
Sugars & Sweeteners
Granulated sugar, brown sugar, powdered sugar, honey, maple syrup, molasses, and other sweeteners
Dairy & Fats
Milk, cream, butter, oils, and other fats with accurate density measurements
Liquids & Specialty Items
Water, juices, extracts, and other liquid ingredients with proper conversion factors
Who Uses PastryCal?
Home Bakers
Perfect for understanding recipe costs and scaling recipes up or down for different occasions
Professional Chefs
Essential for menu costing, inventory management, and profit margin calculations
Cooking Instructors
Great for teaching students about recipe costing and ingredient measurements
Food Businesses
Ideal for small bakeries, cafes, and food startups needing accurate cost analysis
Commitment to Accuracy
We continuously update and verify our ingredient density data from reliable culinary and scientific sources. However, we always recommend:
- Using our calculations as estimates and verifying critical costs independently
- Consulting professional resources for commercial pricing decisions
- Considering regional price variations and seasonal availability
Note: While we strive for maximum accuracy, ingredient densities can vary by brand, processing method, and environmental conditions. Always use your judgment for critical applications.
Get In Touch
We're constantly improving PastryCal and welcome your feedback, suggestions, and questions. Whether you've found a bug, have a feature request, or just want to share your experience, we'd love to hear from you.
Visit our Contact page to share your thoughts or report any issues.
Thank you for choosing PastryCal - making recipe costing simple and accurate for bakers everywhere.
