What’s the Difference Between Baking Soda and Baking Powder?
If you’ve ever mixed up baking soda and baking powder in a recipe, you know it can make or break your bake. Both are used as leavening agents that help your cakes, cookies, and bread rise, but they work a little differently.
Baking Soda
- What it is: Pure sodium bicarbonate.
- How it works: It needs an acid (like lemon juice, buttermilk, yogurt, or vinegar) and liquid to activate. Once combined, it produces carbon dioxide bubbles, which help your batter rise.
- Flavor note: If not balanced with enough acid, baking soda can leave a slightly bitter or metallic taste.
When to use it:
- Chocolate chip cookies (with brown sugar for acidity)
- Buttermilk pancakes
- Banana bread
Baking Powder
- What it is: A mix of baking soda + an acid (usually cream of tartar) + a starch to keep it dry.
- How it works: Since it already contains an acid, it only needs liquid to activate. Most baking powders are double-acting, meaning they release gas twice: once when mixed with liquid and again when exposed to oven heat.
- Flavor note: Milder and more neutral than baking soda.
When to use it:
- Vanilla cakes
- Muffins
- Biscuits
Tips:
- Don’t use them interchangeably: Baking soda is much stronger than baking powder. Though they look similar, they are not used interchangeably. For example, a chocolate cake may need baking powder for a lift & baking soda to balance acidity.
- Use Fresh Product: Make sure your products are not expired, as they become ineffective after the use-by date.