If You're Out of Baking Powder or Baking Soda, Try These Substitutes | McCormick (2024)

FAQs

What can I use if I don't have baking powder or baking soda? ›

Baking powder is a leavening agent that combines sodium bicarbonate with an acid. If baking powder is unavailable, the following substitutes may be appropriate for your recipe: buttermilk, plain yogurt, molasses, cream of tartar, sour milk, vinegar, lemon juice, club soda, self-rising flour, or whipped egg whites.

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).

Self-rising flour has leavening agents already inside of it, so by subbing that in for all-purpose flour, you eliminate the need for extra baking powder. For example, if a recipe calls for 1 cup all-purpose flour, use 1 cup self-rising flour.

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.

Using Cornstarch and Baking Powder Interchangeably

Interestingly, cornstarch can be a component of homemade baking powder. If there's baking soda and cream of tartar in your pantry as well, you're in luck. You can actually create a substitute that's pretty close to what you'd buy off the shelf.

How to prepare baking powder. To make baking powder, combine half a teaspoon of cream of tartar and a quarter teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda. This provides the equivalent of one teaspoon of baking powder. To make self-raising flour add one teaspoon of baking powder (or equivalent homemade) to 110g plain flour.

Is cream of tartar the same as baking soda? No. Although they are similar in appearance, cream of tartar and baking soda are completely different ingredients. Baking soda, which also goes by the name sodium bicarbonate, is a leavening agent that reacts with acids in a recipe.

The easiest swap for every 1 teaspoon of baking powder in your pancake mix is a blend of 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar, 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon of cornstarch.

To replace 1 teaspoon (5 grams) of baking powder, use 1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 grams) lemon juice. Summary: Replace 1 teaspoon (5 grams) of baking powder with 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 grams) lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) baking soda.

Lemon Juice + Baking Soda

For every teaspoon of baking powder in your recipe, add ¼ teaspoon of baking soda to the dry ingredients and ½ teaspoon of lemon juice to the wet ingredients. You don't need to reduce the wet ingredients for this method, as you are only adding a very small amount.

Can I bake cake without baking powder and baking soda? ›

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.

For every teaspoon of baking powder, you'll want to substitute in ¼ tsp of baking soda with ½ tsp of cream of tartar. If you don't have any cream of tartar, you can also substitute one teaspoon of baking powder with a mixture of ¼ tsp of baking soda plus ½ tsp of either vinegar or lemon juice.

If you don't have baking soda on hand, you can use triple the amount of baking powder instead. Alternative substitutions include potassium bicarbonate, baker's ammonia, or self-rising powder. Baking soda is a staple ingredient found in the cupboards of both seasoned and amateur bakers.

Other ways to make a cake rise without self-raising flour

You can also use bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) plus an acid like cream of tartar, buttermilk or yogurt to make a cake rise.

Baking soda, a/k/a sodium bicarbonate, was produced industrially for many years by the historically-important Solvay process. You can duplicate this by adding dry ice (solid carbon dioxide) to a saturated salt solution (sodium chloride) and concentrated ammonia (ammonium hydroxide).

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.

Baking powder won't have an off smell or taste—unless it's been contaminated with something else. And it is safe to use past its expiration date, even if it isn't as effective. You'll just end up with a flatter, denser baked good than you would if you used fresh baking powder.

To make baking powder using baking soda, combine two parts cream of tartar (potassium bitartrate) with one part baking soda (sodium bicarbonate). If you don't plan to use it right away, you will want to add some cornstarch to keep it from clumping.

You can use yeast instead of baking powder in recipes. In fact, some people may prefer the texture and taste of yeast over baking powder. It's important to note, however, that while both baking powder and yeast are leavening agents, they work differently.

While cornstarch shouldn't be used as a substitute for flour in baked goods, you can easily substitute it in for flours when coating fried chicken, fish or other dishes. Not only will cornstarch work in the same way that flours do, but it will hold up better against sauces and absorb less of the frying oil.

What are the three ingredients in baking powder? ›

Baking powder contains baking soda. It is a mixture of baking soda, cream of tartar (a dry acid), and sometimes cornstarch. These days, most baking powder sold is double acting.

Add half a teaspoon of either lemon juice or vinegar and a quarter teaspoon of baking soda for every teaspoon of baking powder called for in your recipe.

For one teaspoon of baking powder:

Combine 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda and 3/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar. This substitute is single-acting, so it will not react in the oven to create additional leavening as a store-bought double-acting baking powder would.

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.

White vinegar isn't a powder but is a natural cleaning product thanks to its high acidity. People can use vinegar to kill mould, remove clothing stains, and deodorises much like baking soda. Unlike powder cleaning agents, people can also add vinegar to a spray bottle with some water for ease of use.

Yogurt has an acidic pH, which makes it a great substitute for baking powder when combined with baking soda. Use ¼ teaspoon of baking soda and ½ cup plain yogurt to replace 1 teaspoon of baking powder in a recipe. Be sure to reduce the amount of liquid in the rest of the recipe as needed.