Baking soda? Baking powder? What the heck is the difference?
As you have probably made something using one, the other or both, I feel this is an important question to address. Though both products are used as leavening agents in recipes, the difference is pretty large. Getting the two mixed up could be disastrous for your next recipe!
The team at Dassant went on a mission to find the answer for you. Here is a convenient chart that you can read, print and pass on to your other friends who might find it helpful!
Want some detailed info? Keep reading…
Ingredients: Baking soda is a chemical compound called Sodium Bicarbonate. It is mined and sold pure. Baking powder on the other hand is actually made up of 2 parts cream of tartar, 1 part baking soda and 1 part cornstarch.
Activation: Baking soda will activate when it comes in contact with acidic ingredients. Because of this, it is important to bake the mixture as soon as possible after mixing the dry and wet ingredients. While there are multiple types of baking powder, dual-acting is the most common. This type actually has two reactions – 1 when mixed with moisture and one when exposed to heat.
Uses: Which product you use depends completely on the other ingredients in the recipe. Baking soda is called for in recipes that have acidic ingredients such as lemon juice, buttermilk, yogurt and even chocolate. Most types of cookies fall into this category. Baking soda is called for in denser recipes such as muffins, bisquits, quick breads and some cakes.
Substitutions: It is not a good idea to substitute baking soda into recipes that call for baking powder. It is a better idea to mix up your own baking powder using the simple recipe listed above. You can substitute baking powder for baking soda, just be sure to add a little bit more into the mix, so the baking soda inside the baking powder can neutralize the acid in the recipe.
Baking time: In general, the denser foods that call for baking powder take longer to bake.
Other uses: It is well known that baking soda has many uses (we found an article that lists 75 of them). The most common are odor absorption and homemade cleaning products. You can also use baking soda for brushing your teeth. Baking powder is better left for baking, as it also includes cornstarch.
Because baking soda and baking powder are very different it is a good idea to keep both of them around. Have you had any baking soda or baking powder mix ups? If so, what was the outcome? I’d love to hear about them!
Tags: baking powder, baking soda, baking tool
There are some typos in the text above. The last sentence under uses should say baking powder instead of baking soda. under substitutions, “You can substitute baking soda for baking powder” should be reversed.
You are absolutely right John! Thanks for pointing that out. That could be a serious mistake if someone were to mix up the two. It has been corrected.
There is also a typo in the final sentence under Uses. My roommate used baking soda in cookies and they had a very metallic taste. Yuck. My friend used baking soda in Jamaican fried dumplings. Not as disastrous.
I use bicarbonate of soda and mix it with bleach to make a paste for cleaning the grout between my bathroom tiles. An old toothbrush makes the process fairly easy but open the windows because it can whiff a bit. Also use rubber gloves so you don’t get it on your skin. The results are really pleasing, gleaming white grout with a really clinically clean fresh smelling bathroom!