Baking Soda vs. Baking Powder: What’s the Difference? (2024)

FAQs

Baking Soda vs. Baking Powder: What’s the Difference? ›

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.

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.

They both have a slightly bitter taste. However, they have different chemical compositions and uses. Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate. Sodium bicarbonate is an alkaline salt compound that creates carbon dioxide gas when people mix it with an acid.

Because of baking soda's bitter taste, it must be paired with a sweeter tasting acidic compound. Baking soda is most commonly used in cookie and muffin recipes. Baking powder, however, already contains an acid and a base and has a more neutral taste, which works great when baking cakes and bread.

Baking soda is a versatile ingredient whose uses extend far beyond cooking. This household staple shines when it comes to neutralizing odors and cleaning, as it helps remove tough stains, eliminate foul odors, and clean difficult areas like the oven, microwave, and tile grout.

Baking Soda (also known as Bread Soda, Cooking Soda, Soda Bicarb) is mainly used as a leavening agent in baking, giving lighter crumbs in biscuits and cookies and better signs of aeration in cakes and pastries.

If you accidentally add baking soda instead of baking powder to baked goods, they won't rise because there is not enough acid. To fix this, add about one tablespoon of white or apple cider vinegar for every half teaspoon of baking soda to the liquids before mixing with the dry ingredients.

Simply, without these leaveners, many cookies would fall flat and cake layers would be dense and stodgy. But baking powder and soda are not interchangeable, and if you're out of one, the other won't act as a direct substitute (though it can be part of the solution—more on that below).

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.

"The Food Keeper App" recommends storing unopened baking powder at room temperature for 6 months. After opening, store at room temperature for 3 months for best quality.

What makes a cake rise, baking soda or baking powder? ›

Baking soda as we talked about reacts immediately to acidic elements and gives immediate leavening effect. The baking powder keeps reacting with the heat to give a leavening boost while the baked goods are in the oven. A combination of both these leavening agents gives the best leavening for most cake recipes.

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 powder is not as effective as baking soda for removing stains. The reason is that baking powder contains both an acid and a base, neutralising its reactivity – the property that gives baking soda its cleaning power. That said, baking powder can still be used for light cleaning tasks or minor stains.

Baking soda changes the texture of baked goods by causing a batter or dough to spread, while baking powder produces light, fluffy texture. Some recipes may call for baking soda or baking powder on their own, while others may require both ingredients to create the ideal balance for great texture.

Baking soda's abrasive properties can cause damage over time to marble and quartz. Because baking soda can cause scratches and wear away the top protective layer of marble and quartz surfaces, skip it as an everyday cleaner and instead reach for a cream or liquid cleanser to avoid costly, permanent damage.

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.

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.

Use of baking soda while baking or making cake, makes the cake taste bitter due to the formation of Sodium carbonate during heating. Hence, to neutralize the formed sodium carbonate and its bitter taste, we use tartaric acid. As an acid tartaric acid neutralizes the base effect of Sodium bicarbonate.

Baking soda can be used with some water to remove the stains on the surface of the teeth. It can also be used with hydrogen peroxide to enhance its whitening effects. Baking soda can be used by individuals with regular toothpastes too. It is also used commercially in some teeth whitening products and toothpastes.

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.

What happens if you use too much baking soda? ›

Too much baking soda will result in a soapy taste with a coarse, open crumb. Baking soda causes reddening of cocoa powder when baked, hence the name Devil's Food Cake.

Answers: The cake will be bitter as heating baking soda forms sodium carbonate which results in this bitter taste. By the addition of an edible weak acid such as tartaric acid will convert baking soda into baking powder. The role of tartaric acid is to make the cake fluffy.

Baking Powder to Baking Soda Conversion

Use 1 teaspoon of baking soda for every tablespoon of baking powder. To make sure it functions correctly, also add 2 teaspoons of vinegar, lemon juice, cream of tartar, or another acidic ingredient to your batter or dough.

Mix very well. This combination of baking soda and baking powder is what creates the perfect pizza dough rise with no yeast. So ensure that they are fresh, active and within their shelf period.