Baking Powder vs. Baking Soda

Baking powder and baking soda both are leavening agents used to rise up the baked product. They are added to product before baking to produce carbon dioxide and cause them to rise.

Baking Powder

Baking powder is composition of baking soda (sodium bi carbonate), acidifying agent (mainly cream of tartar) and drying agent corn starch to create a neutral compound. It therefore reacts with itself using the moisture of the batter as a catalyst. When liquid is added to the recipe, sodium bi carbonate and cream of tartar react to form bubbles of carbon dioxide same as in baking soda and help in rise of the product. It is designed so that it will not appreciably alter the pH of the batter or leave an aftertaste as baking soda will.

Baking powder are of two types : Single acting and double acting. Single acting baking powders are activated by moisture and double acting powders are activated once by moisture and also reactivated once comes in contact of heat, making the product more fluffier and evenly puffed .  

Baking Soda

Baking soda is pure sodium bi carbonate. It is powerful alkaline used to leaven cookies, muffins and cakes. Because it is alkaline, it require some acidic ingredient (such as buttermilk, vinegar, honey, yogurt, chocolate, cocoa powder) to activate. When baking soda is combined with moisture and acidic ingredient, the carbon dioxide bubbles lift the batter and help it rise. As soon as it is mixed it start bubbling and thickening of batter and does not require the heat of the oven to start its process. The reaction begins immediately upon mixing the ingredients, so you need to bake the product immediately once it comes in contact with moisture.

To understand how baking soda works, try this experiment. Put a little baking soda in a cup. Add a little water. As shown in the first picture, there are no bubbles. Now add a little lemon juice to the water and soda mixture. Immediately, you will have a chemical reaction with gas bubbles fizzing out of the cup.

Generally, the recipe which contain an acid call for baking soda. There will be no reaction if no acid is present in the batter. Buttermilk, juices, non alkalized cocoa powder are common acids used to react with baking soda.

The reaction of the alkaline baking soda with an acidic batter has two effects:
it creates the carbon dioxide bubbles that leaven the batter and it neutralizes the acid in the batter. Neutralizing the acid changes the taste—buttermilk, for example, in red velvet cake no longer has its characteristic acidic tang.

Typically 1/4th teaspoon of baking soda is used for 1 cup of refined flour. very heavy ones or very acidic may use more. Since a batter with lower pH level browns more quickly, drop cookies call for more baking soda so that to allow the cookies to brown more easily.

How to Substitute One for Another

As you all know now that baking soda is in concentrated form and baking powder is made from baking soda plus other acidifying agent.

For that reason, you need to double or triple the quantity of baking powder to that of baking soda you require. If you needed one teaspoon of baking soda, you must add 2-3 teaspoons of baking powder but it may affect the final taste of the product.

But if you need to substitute baking soda for baking powder you need to add some acidifying agent to baking soda in the ration of 1:2 (baking soda : cream of tartar) to balance the reaction and taste. In case you don’t have cream of tartar just add some lemon juice or vinegar to the recipe so that it can activate.

Conclusion

In conclusion, baking powder and baking soda are similar and are both used for the same purpose, but they are not interchangeable because of the differences in their chemical composition. A well-stocked baking cupboard will include both, and following the correct measurements and proportions in a recipe is be essential for getting a delicious, fluffy baked good.

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Happy Baking

Karan Chopra