Batch Scaling Factor
Single multiplier applied across a whole recipe when changing batch size.
Formula
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Example
From 12 to 30 cookies: f = 2.5
How it works
When you want a recipe to make more or less food, the batch scaling factor tells you how much to multiply every ingredient by. It works because the ingredient amounts are proportional to the number of servings, so the same ratio of new yield to old yield can be applied across the whole recipe. A factor greater than 1 means increase the batch, while a factor less than 1 means reduce it.
When to use it
Use this when resizing a recipe for baking or cooking, such as adjusting a cake, soup, sauce, or dough recipe to feed a different number of people. It is especially useful when every ingredient should change in the same proportion.
Worked example, step by step
Original recipe makes 8 muffins New target is 20 muffins f = n_new / n_old = 20 / 8 f = 2.5 Multiply each ingredient by 2.5 Example: 2 cups flour becomes 2 × 2.5 = 5 cups Example: 3 eggs becomes 3 × 2.5 = 7.5 eggs, so use a practical equivalent such as 7 or 8 eggs depending on the recipe Final scaling factor: 2.5
Common mistakes to avoid
- using the old yield divided by the new yield instead of new divided by old
- forgetting to scale every ingredient by the same factor
- assuming the factor must be a whole number when recipes often need decimals or fractions
Did You Know?
Commercial kitchens store recipes as ratios so any batch scales with a single factor.
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