What’s the Difference Between Baking Soda and Baking Powder?
Do you really need both?
How many times have you been in the middle of baking before you realized you were out of baking powder or baking soda?
I’m sure you were tempted to substitute one for the other, thinking to yourself are these two ingredients even different?
Well, the short answer is — yes. And here’s how.
What’s baking soda?
Baking soda simply consists of one, basic compound — sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3). When baking soda is mixed with any type of acid, represented as H+, it produces water, carbon dioxide, and salt. Common acids used in baking are lemon juice, cream of tartar, and buttermilk.
NaHCO3 + H+→ H2O + CO2 + Na+
What we’re really trying to capture in this reaction is the hundreds of tiny carbon dioxide bubbles. The thicker a dough or batter is, the more efficient it’ll be at trapping these bubbles. This is what aerates or leavens baked goods like quick breads and muffins.
You may have noticed that many recipes call for a combination of baking soda and cream of tartar to aerate foods and result in a porous structure. Cream of tartar is a useful ingredient since it’s a dry, acidic powder. This means…
