Baking Powder vs Baking Soda | What is the difference between them | When to use which one | How to test them | with photos, description and video. This post explains the differences between baking soda and baking powder. Both are leavening agents, substances used to help baked goods rise.
Baking powder contains baking soda, along with other ingredients. Experienced and amateur bakers alike often confuse them due to their similar names and appearances.
What is the difference? Baking powder vs Baking soda?
Baking Powder vs Baking Soda | What is the difference between them | When to use which one | with photos, description and video. Many baked-good recipes include baking soda or baking powder as a leavening agent. Some may even include both. While both products appear similar, they’re certainly not the same.
What is baking soda?
Baking soda is a leavening agent used in baked goods like cakes, muffins, and cookies. Formally known as sodium bicarbonate, it’s a white crystalline powder that is naturally alkaline, or basic. When combined with both an acidic ingredient and a liquid, it becomes activated. Upon activation, carbon dioxide is produced, which allows baked goods to rise and become light and fluffy.
This is why recipes that include baking soda will also list an acidic ingredient, such as lemon juice or buttermilk.
What is baking powder?
Unlike baking soda, baking powder is a complete leavening agent, meaning it contains both the base (sodium bicarbonate) and acid needed for the product to rise. Cornstarch is also typically found in baking powder which is added as a buffer to prevent the acid and base from activating during storage.
Similarly to how baking soda reacts with water and an acidic ingredient, the acid in baking powder reacts with sodium bicarbonate and releases carbon dioxide once it’s combined with a liquid.
When to use which one?
Baking soda is used in recipes that also include an acidic ingredient, such as cream of tartar, buttermilk, or citrus juice.
Conversely, baking powder is typically used when the recipe doesn’t feature an acidic ingredient, as the powder already includes the acid needed to produce carbon dioxide. Baked good mixtures can vary greatly in their acidity level. To produce a desirable baked good, you need to find the right balance between acid and base.
Moreover, some recipes may call for both baking soda and baking powder. Typically this is because the recipe contains an acid that needs to be offset by the baking soda but may not be enough to completely leaven the product.
In short, baking soda is used when the recipe includes acidic ingredients while baking powder can be used without additional acidic ingredients.
How to Test Baking Powder ?
Baking powder is activated by a combination of heat and moisture. Test baking powder by mixing 1 teaspoon of baking powder with 1/3 cup hot water. If the baking powder is fresh, the mixture should produce lots of bubbles. Be sure to use warm or hot water; cold water will not work for this test.
How to Test Baking Soda ?
Baking soda is meant to produce bubbles when mixed with an acidic ingredient. Check baking soda by dripping a few drops of vinegar or lemon juice onto a small amount (1/4 teaspoon) of baking soda. The baking soda should bubble vigorously. If you don’t see a lot of bubbles, it’s time to replace your baking soda.
Is Substituting each other possible?
Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate, which requires an acid and a liquid to become activated and help baked goods rise. Conversely, baking powder includes sodium bicarbonate, as well as an acid. It only needs a liquid to become activated.
Substituting one for the other is possible with careful adjustments.
Baking Soda for Baking Powder Conversion:
If you don’t have baking powder and you’re trying to substitute baking soda, you will need much less baking soda than the amount of baking powder the recipe originally called for. Too much baking soda in a recipe can give your baked goods a metallic or soapy taste, so be careful with your amounts in conversions.
As a rule of thumb, 1 teaspoon of baking powder is equivalent to ¼ teaspoon of baking soda in terms of leavening power. But there’s more you must do.
Remember, baking powder comes with its own acid included, and it’s the reaction between the acidic cream of tartar, the alkaline baking soda, and water that creates the leavening action and the air bubbles you need. If you’re substituting baking soda for baking powder, you also need to add an acid to the recipe. If you do not, you’ll be left with that metallic or soapy taste and flat, dense, hard baked goods. Try this instead.
1 tsp. baking powder = ¼ tsp. baking soda plus ½ tsp. cream of tartar
(1 part baking soda to 2 parts cream of tartar).
What if you don’t have cream of tartar, either? You can still do a baking powder to baking soda conversion by adding another acid to create the carbon dioxide bubble-releasing action.
1 tsp. baking powder = ¼ tsp. of baking soda plus 1 tsp. of lemon juice or white vinegar
(1 tsp. vinegar or lemon juice for every ½ tsp. cream of tartar)
Vinegar and lemon juice are acids, which will combine with the baking soda to create the leavening action. Lemon juice or vinegar will affect the taste of the batter somewhat, so you might want to compensate by adding a bit more sugar (e.g., 1-2 tablespoons) or just go with a slightly tangier taste.
Baking Powder for Baking Soda Conversion
If your recipe calls for baking soda and all you have on hand is baking powder, the conversion is a little easier. Remember that baking soda is 3-4 times stronger than baking powder, so you’ll need a lot more baking powder to get the same leavening action.
As a general rule, triple the amount of baking powder for the amount of baking soda called for in a recipe. For example,
1 teaspoon baking soda = 3 teaspoons baking powder.
A recipe that called for baking soda already had an acid, such as cocoa, molasses, or honey included to neutralize the alkaline baking soda and create the air bubbles. Baking powder had the cream of tartar acid included anyway, so you’ll be fine with leavening.
Furthermore, I would like to highlight some of my baking recipes where you will find the use of these ingredients.
Baking Powder vs Baking Soda
Baking Powder vs Baking Soda | What is the difference between them | When to use which one | with photos, description and video. This post explains the differences between baking soda and baking powder and how interchanging one for the other may affect your baked goods.
Recipe Video
Notes
- 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.
- Baking soda can be substituted for baking powder by dividing the amount of baking powder needed by 4 and adding twice that amount of cream of tartar.
- Baking soda or baking powder are essential for your baked goods to come out light, airy, and with the right texture.
