How to Use Baking Powder & Baking Soda

I thought we would discuss the differences between baking soda and baking powder.  Both are leavening agents used in baked goods to help them rise.  Sometimes you will see them used together, and sometimes separately.  Why is that?  Recipes determine which of these leavening agents to use by what other ingredients are included in the recipe.

Baking soda is pure sodium bicarbonate.  When mixed with liquid and an acidic ingredient like buttermilk, lemon juice or yogurt, a chemical reaction occurs that produces carbon dioxide bubbles.  These bubbles help the baked good expand and rise.  This chemical reaction happens immediately after mixing, so it is imperative that you get the batter in the oven to bake right away.  If you wait around too long before baking you could risk ending up with a flat baked good.  Baking soda on its own has a very unpleasant alkaline taste.  Using it with an acid will help to neutralize the bad aftertaste.  

Baking powder contains sodium bicarbonate, cream of tartar and cornstarch.  The cream of tartar is an acidifying agent and the starch is a drying agent.  Baking powder comes in single-acting or double-acting form.  The single-acting powder is activated by moisture and must be baked immediately.  The double-acting form reacts in two phases.  First when it is combined with liquid, and second when it hits the oven.  Baking powder yields a neutral taste because the acid is already contained in it.

A recipe using baking soda alone cannot stand high temperatures for a long period of time.  Recipes with baking powder alone can be baked longer because of the cream of tartar.  It acts as a second leavening agent and takes over when the sodium bicarbonate becomes inactive from the long exposure to heat.

Let’s say the recipe calls for baking powder and all you have on hand is baking soda.  You can make your own baking powder equivalent by mixing 2 parts cream of tartar with one part baking soda.  When the recipe calls for only baking soda, that’s what you should use. 

The thing to always remember, especially if you like to create your own recipes, is to always add baking soda to the recipe if there is an acidic ingredient in it.  If you create a recipe using only baking powder, but you have included an acidic ingredient like buttermilk, you should substitute half of the baking powder with baking soda.

I hope this helps you to understand how to use baking soda or baking powder in your recipes, and what their function is.  One other very important thing you need to do regularly, is to check the expiration dates.  Baking soda and baking powder will start to lose their strength if they get too old.  I like to replace mine every couple of months to be sure they stay fresh.

Happy baking,

Pam