Whether a beginner or a pastry pro, you probably use baking powder and baking soda frequently. That's because they are some of the most common leavening agents in baking, which create the rise and expansion of batters and doughs. Both white powders are chemical leaveners, meaning they interact with other ingredients to produce carbon dioxide during mixing and baking. That gas expands to provide the lift in your cakes, cookies, and other baked goods.
They may sound and act similarly, but have you ever stopped to think about why a recipe uses one instead of the other or both? Turns out, it's all about the science.
What's the Difference?
You may have already guessed that baking powder and baking soda are not the same or interchangeable. Baking soda is 100 percent sodium bicarbonate, an alkaline salt compound that creates carbon dioxide gas when mixed with an acid. Baking powder, on the other hand, is a mixture of sodium bicarbonate and an acid like cream of tartar which requires moisture and heat to activate.
When to Use Baking Powder
Because baking powder already contains an acid, it is used in recipes where an acid is not a significant ingredient. Most store-bought baking powders will be labeled "double acting," meaning they start to activate once they touch a liquid and again when heat is applied. You will see it solo in vanilla cake recipes, for instance, which use regular milk for moisture and the heat of the oven to activate the baking powder.
When to Use Baking Soda
Since baking soda needs to mix with acid to create carbon dioxide, you will commonly find it in recipes featuring a prominent acidic ingredient such as cocoa powder or buttermilk. Think of the classic childhood volcano project when you mix baking soda with vinegar. That's essentially what's happening inside the batter to create the expansion. Baking soda also promotes browning, making it an excellent choice for recipes that benefit from it, like classic chocolate chip cookies.
Why Do Recipes Include Both?
If you look on the side of the box, baking soda is listed as an antacid. When it produces carbon dioxide, it essentially neutralizes the acidic ingredient. But what if you need acid for flavor? Let's use a more obvious example like buttermilk biscuits. If you only use baking soda, you'll lose that telltale tang. Using a combination of both will both leaven a recipe and keep some of the flavor profile.
Also, in some cases, baking soda alone may not give enough lift. Adding too much of it will create a metallic or bitter taste. That's why it requires a little help from a friend. It's a delicate balance between gas production, flavor, and browning for most baked goods, which is why you often see both used in the same recipe. Even professionals must experiment to get that ratio just right, and it's another reason why most baking requires adherence to exact recipe ingredients and measurements.
Do Either Go Bad? Here's How to Make Sure They're Fresh
Like most kitchen ingredients, baking powder and baking soda eventually lose their potency. Opened containers will last about six months to a year, while unopened containers should last until their expiration dates. If you find yourself in questionable territory and want to reconfirm freshness before ruining a batch of berry shortcakes, try these simple tricks. For baking powder, add ½ teaspoon to a small bowl and pour ¼ cup of boiling water over the top. If fresh, the mixture will bubble vigorously. If it barely bubbles or doesn't bubble at all, toss it.
For baking soda, place a teaspoon of it into a small bowl and add a tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice. It should bubble and fizz vigorously like a little volcano project if it's fresh. If not, you know what to do. And perhaps this should go without saying, but please don't use the same baking soda actively deodorizing your refrigerator. That's already serving its purpose and doesn't belong in your baked goods.
Baking soda and baking powder are not the same. Sodium bicarbonate and bicarbonate of soda are other names for baking soda. Baking powder is made of baking soda plus cream of tartar and cornstarch. Baking powder can be substituted for baking soda by tripling the amount of baking powder.
However, if you're in a pinch, the substitution is one teaspoon baking soda equals three teaspoons baking powder. Baking soda is also much stronger than baking powder and, by trying to provide enough leavening, you may wind up with an unpleasant metallic, salty taste in the final baked product.
The leavening power of baking soda is about three to four times stronger than baking powder. This means that you need a lot less baking soda in your recipes. If a recipe calls for baking soda and you only have baking powder, you need to use the right baking soda to baking powder conversion.
Baking soda is typically used for chewy cookies, while baking powder is generally used for light and airy cookies. Since baking powder is comprised of a number of ingredients (baking soda, cream of tartar, cornstarch, etc.), using it instead of pure baking soda will affect the taste of your cookies.
Through the chemical reaction created by combining baking soda with liquid, acid, and heat, carbon dioxide is created. These tiny CO2 gas bubbles allow for soft and airy baked goods such as cookies, pancakes, and cakes. Baking soda also increases pH levels while reducing gluten.
Baking powder: Baking powder can be used to replace baking soda, though not at a 1-to-1 ratio. Because the former is not as strong as the latter, it's important to use three times the amount of baking powder as baking soda. Be aware, a slightly bitter, off-putting taste might result from using that much baking powder.
Baking powder, in particular, is one of those ingredients you can easily run out of without noticing, but when it comes to baking, it does a very particular job, and can be difficult to replace. Most baked goods need a leavening agent to make them rise, and if you leave it out, your cake or your cookies will fall flat.
The baking soda reacted faster with vinegar than baking powder did and also produced more bubbles. The baking powder also bubbled when vinegar was added, but the overall reaction was slower and the bubbles did not rise as high in the cup as they did with baking soda.
Adding baking powder is the easiest way to make fluffy pancakes. There's more than one way to make the bubbles that make a pancake fluffy, but the easiest way is by adding a raising agent such as baking powder.
Baking powder is used to increase the volume and lighten the texture of baked goods. It works by releasing carbon dioxide gas into a batter or dough through an acid–base reaction, causing bubbles in the wet mixture to expand and thus leavening the mixture.
Unopened baking powder can be stored for up to 18 months and still be fresh and effective. After that, you'll likely notice a loss of potency when using it in baking recipes. Opened baking powder should be used within 6 months.
The Food Marketing Institute's "The Food Keeper" recommends storing unopened baking soda at room temperature for 18 months. After opening, store at room temperature for 6 months for best quality.
If you don't have baking soda, you can use baking powder, at three times what the recipe calls for. So if a recipe calls for one teaspoon of baking soda, you can use three teaspoons of baking powder. Baking powder also contains a little bit of salt, so it's also a good idea to halve the salt the recipe calls for.
Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate or bicarbonate of soda, is a popular baking ingredient. It gives foods like bread, cakes, muffins, and cookies a light, fluffy texture.
Regarding using baking soda for gray hair, experts endorse its potential benefits such as controlling pigmentation loss, lightening the strands, and providing texture. It can be used on coarse grey locks to make them smoother too by eliminating product buildup from oils or soaps.
For 1 tablespoon baking powder, mix 2 teaspoons cream of tartar with 1 teaspoon baking soda (add 1 teaspoon cornstarch if you're making a big batch—it prevents the mixture from caking, but it's not necessary).
Is baking soda or powder best for frying? A pinch of baking soda can help produce crispy fried foods. It reacts with the acid in the batter to create carbon dioxide bubbles. These lead to an airy batter and a crisper, fluffier result.
You can also create a light and airy texture for your cake using whipped egg whites instead of baking powder and soda. Whipping egg whites can create small air bubbles that are able to ensure the fluffiness of a cake. For a better outcome, consider beating the egg whites at a low speed till it gets foamy.
To make your own baking powder – some say with fewer metallic undertones than the commercial stuff – mix one part baking soda to one part cornstarch and two parts cream of tartar. For example: 1/4 teaspoon baking soda + 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar + 1/4 teaspoon cornstarch = 1 teaspoon homemade baking powder.
Introduction: My name is Saturnina Altenwerth DVM, I am a witty, perfect, combative, beautiful, determined, fancy, determined person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
We notice you're using an ad blocker
Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Baking-Soda-vs-Baking-Powder-FT-BLOG0622-f9d1ee8b0b854866944881eb4d25b594.jpg "Baking Soda vs. Baking Powder: What's the Difference? (1)")
