Vegan and gluten-free baking is becoming more mainstream, and we love to see it! Whether it’s for allergy, health, or environmental reasons, more and more people are baking without eggs or yeast. (Many types of yeast are gluten-free, but it can still cause allergic reactions in people who don’t have Celiac Disease.) This makes it all the more crucial to use the right leavening agents, so your baked goods have the rise and airy texture you crave. So which ingredient is right for your recipe: baking soda or baking powder?
What is Baking Soda?
Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate, is an alkaline substance, which means it neutralizes acidic ingredients. The most common acidic ingredients in baking are:
- Lemon juice
- Brown sugar
- Maple syrup
- Apple cider or plain vinegar
- Honey
- Citrus juices
- Cocoa Powder
- Buttermilk
Baking soda will get rid of some of the tanginess of these ingredients and the reaction will release carbon dioxide gas, causing the dough to rise.
What is Baking Powder?
Baking powder has baking soda in it, along with the required acid (usually cream of tartar), and a starch. This eliminates the need for any additional acidic ingredients.
There are two types of baking powder: single-acting and double-acting. Single-acting baking powder only reacts once to your batter: when liquid is added. Double-acting baking powder reacts a second time, when exposed to heat. This helps boost the rise of your bake. Most baking powders at your local store are double-acting.
If you’re ever in a bind and need some (single-acting) baking powder fast, here’s a simple recipe:
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp cream of tartar *or* lemon juice
- 1 tsp corn starch *or* tapioca starch
How to Choose
Baking Soda
- 4x more powerful than baking powder.
- Weakens gluten, giving more outward spread rather thanvertical growth, so best used in cookies.
- Works more quickly in the oven compared to baking powder which needs time towork its magic.
- Creates large air bubbles, so to avoid a collapsed bake or too many large bubbles, put your batter in the fridge for up to 24 hours. It will still activate from the heat in the oven, but the growth will be more subtle.
- Needs acidic ingredients in order to activate.
- Gives a beautiful brown color to your bake
- If not enough acidic ingredients are added, or too much baking soda is added, your bake will have a soapy taste
- Too much baking soda will also make your bake hard
- Makes your bake a bit less chewy.
- Good for recipes that already have acidic ingredients
- If you want the tangy flavor of acidic ingredients to come through, or if you are looking for a bigger vertical rise like with muffins or cakes, it’s best to use in combination with baking powder.
Baking Powder
- Already contains the necessary acids to activate.
- Gives more vertical growth, so best used in cakes, loaves, and muffins.
- Also great for recipes like sugar cookies which contain no acidic ingredients.
- Use for an added boost when baking soda is not giving enough rise
- Too much baking powder will give the cake a sour or bitter taste and create undesirable, large air bubbles.
FAQs
Powder is the same chemical compound but with some acidic materials added to create a stronger reaction when activated by liquid and heat. So you'd use soda in a recipe that already has acidic ingredients, and use powder in situations where your recipe doesn't have any acidic elements.
How do you know if you need baking soda or baking powder? ›
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.
How much baking powder to match baking soda? ›
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.
Is baking soda or baking powder better for muffins? ›
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.
What happens if I use baking soda instead of baking powder? ›
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.
Should I use baking soda or baking powder in cookies? ›
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.
What happens if you use too much baking powder or baking soda? ›
Too much baking soda or baking powder can mess up a recipe, causing it to rise uncontrollably and taste terrible. But don't freak out if you accidentally pour too much baking soda into cookie dough or add too much baking powder to the cake batter. Depending on the situation, you might be able to fix it.
Why use both baking soda and baking powder? ›
Many recipes need both kinds of reactions to achieve the intended overall balance of flavor and texture, which is why you'll often see both baking soda and baking powder in a recipe. Even though the ingredients are both adding air during the baking process, they're complements, not substitutes.
What is the correct method of measuring baking soda and baking powder? ›
BAKING POWDER & BAKING SODA
Baking powder and baking soda can settle down in their containers over time. Shake it up or give it a stir, then using a measuring spoon, lightly scoop out of the container. Use a knife (or the container if it has a leveler) to level it off.
Which makes things fluffy or baking powder or baking soda? ›
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, a commonly used leaven and key ingredient in baking powder, helps batters and doughs rise, so their texture is light when baked.
How does baking powder affect muffins? ›
But as you can see from the difference in height, baking powder contributes most of the leavening power in muffins. Without baking powder, the muffin batter doesn't contain enough gas to expand and rise. Baking powder affects the rise and shape of muffins.
What makes stuff crispy or baking soda or baking powder? ›
Baking soda is a raising agent that must be mixed with one or more acid ingredients, such as cocoa powder or buttermilk. Baking powder is better for recipes that contain little or no acid ingredients. Baking soda helps make fried foods crispy and light. It is also useful for cleaning and removing stains.
Which is better in banana cake baking soda or baking powder? ›
Just using baking soda as your leavening agent will work perfectly fine in banana bread in most cases. However, if you don't have any acidic ingredients on hand, like buttermilk, and you're only using a small amount of mashed bananas, you might need to use baking powder.
How much baking powder to use in muffins? ›
The general rule of thumb for how much baking powder or baking soda is 1 teaspoon per cup of flour. I usually use a measuring cup the first couple of times I make something so I can get a rough idea of how many cups of flour I'm putting in so I can roughly figure out how much baking powder I should use.
What happens if you bake without baking soda or powder? ›
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).
What do you use baking soda for? ›
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.
Can I use baking powder instead of baking soda in banana bread? ›
To substitute baking powder for baking soda in banana bread, use triple the amount of baking powder that you would of baking soda. For example, if your recipe says to use a 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda, you can use 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder instead. You won't have to change any of the other ingredients.
