American v. British Baking Terminology

‘England and America are two countries separated by the same language.’
George Bernard Shaw

I was brought up in an American international school in Greece, but I have lived in the UK for the last 16 years.  I tend to use a mix of UK / US expressions which can get a bit confusing.

Recently, a few people have asked me to clarify some of the words I've used regarding baking ingredients and equipment. So, I thought I’d share a list of the different baking words and expressions used on each side of the pond. It should also be helpful to you when you come to use other recipes published in the UK or USA.

INGREDIENTS
 

Flour
All-Purpose Flour (US) = Plain Flour (UK)
Versatile flour without any raising agents. Used for general baking.
Cake Flour (US) = Sponge Flour (UK)
A finely milled flour used in delicate cakes.
Self-Rising Flour (US) = Self-Raising Flour (UK)
Contains a leavening agent (baking powder).
 

Sugars
Superfine Sugar (US) = Caster Sugar (UK)
Confectioners' Sugar / Powdered Sugar (US) = Icing Sugar (UK)
Brown Sugar (US) = Soft Brown Sugar (UK)
Molasses (US) = Black Treacle (UK)
 

Cream
Heavy Cream / Whipping Cream (US) = Double Cream (UK)
Rich cream with a high-fat content (35%-40%).
Half-and-Half (US) = Single Cream (UK)
Light cream with about 18%-20% fat.
 

Leavening Agents
Baking Soda (US) = Bicarbonate of Soda (UK)
Baking Powder (US) = Baking Powder (UK)
Essentially the same, but double-acting versions are more common in the US.
 

Sweet Treats
Candy (US) = Sweets (UK)
Jell-O (US) = Jelly (UK)
Jell-O in the US is gelatine dessert, while jelly in the UK refers to the same.
Jam (US & UK)
The same word in both, though "jelly" in the UK means gelatine, while in the US it's a fruit spread.
 

Milk
Whole Milk (US) = Full-Fat Milk (UK)
Milk with all its fat content intact.
 

EQUIPMENT

Wraps
Cling Wrap (US) = Cling Film (UK)
Plastic wrap used to cover food.

Baking Trays
Sheet Pan (US) = Baking Tray (UK)
Flat tray used for cookies, pastries, and sheet cakes.
 

Cake Moulds
Cake Pan (US) = Cake Tin (UK)
Circular or square pans used to bake cakes.
 

Pans for Bread
Loaf Pan (US) = Loaf Tin (UK)
Deep rectangular pan used for baking bread and loaf cakes.
 

Pans for Pies
Pie Pan (US) = Pie Dish (UK)
Shallow dish for pies.
 

Mixers
Hand Mixer (US) = Electric Whisk (UK)
Handheld electric device for mixing.
Stand Mixer (US & UK)
The same terminology, though brand differences exist (e.g., KitchenAid in the US, Kenwood in the UK).
 

Measuring Tools
Measuring Cups (US) = Measuring Jugs (UK)
Dry ingredients are measured by volume (cups) in the US; often by weight in the UK.
Measuring Spoons (US & UK)
Digital Kitchen Scale (US) = Weighing Scales (UK)
UK bakers often use digital kitchen scales to measure ingredients by weight for accuracy.
 

Frosting Tools
Frosting (US) = Icing (UK)
In the UK, "icing" refers to any cake covering, while "frosting" is specifically creamy in texture.
 

Sifting
Sifter (US) = Sieve (UK)
Both tools aerate flour and icing sugar, but the term sifter is more commonly used in the US.
 

Cooling Equipment
Cooling Rack (US & UK)
The same term is used in both regions.
 

Lining Paper
Parchment Paper (US) = Baking Paper (UK)
Non-stick, heat-resistant paper for lining pans.
 

Foil
Aluminium Foil (US) = Tin Foil (UK)
 

Mat for Baking
Silicone Mat (US & UK) Used to prevent sticking on baking trays.