What’s the Difference Between Baking Soda and Baking Powder?

2/20/2021

Baking soda and baking powder are both leavening agents that cause baked goods to rise, but they are chemically different and should be used differently.

• Baking Soda
- one ingredient: sodium bicarbonate
- contains only base
- requires addition of an acid (lemon juice, buttermilk, cream of tartar, brown sugar) to activate bubbling and rising (like the volcano experiment you did in school...nothing happened until you added vinegar)

• Baking Powder
- mixture of baking soda, cream of tartar, and cornstarch
- contains acid and base
- only requires addition of moisture to start reacting
- has a second reaction when heated in the oven

• Why do some recipes call for both?
- Sometimes additional lift is needed and you want to balance flavors differently where the taste from the acidic ingredients still comes through.

• Can you substitute one for the other?
- Technically, yes. But it can be tricky and the taste can be thrown off by requiring an increase in the amount of powder or acid for the leavening to happen.

• Don’t forget that they expire!
- Either one can lose their ability to make things rise if past the expiration date. The leavening reaction won’t be as strong and your results could literally fall flat.

0 Comments

Author

Amanda is a mother of three (10, 7, and 5) and has been married for 14 years. My weight loss journey started July 17, 2008, one day after my daughter's first birthday. Tipping the scales at 235 pounds at 5'3, being an over weight, over tired, out of shape role model no longer appealed to me and I knew it was time for a change. Three pregnancies later, I had lost a total of 105 pounds. I had run 2 marathons and dozens of half marathons. Something was missing. I was thin, but I wasn't fit. I wasn't healthy. I could feel it in my insides. I was 136 pounds and a size 8. Something didn't add up. I got my certification in personal training, nutrition, weight management, and dove into supplementation and whole foods. 90 days later, I gained 10 pounds and lost two pants sizes (8 to a 4).

Continuing on this path, all of my clients wanted to know how I was doing it. I always dreamed of creating a business that truly added value to people and improved their health. My husband, Grant, and I decided it was time to take that leap.

December 9, 2016, Simply Prepped Meals was born. Based around the mission of providing whole food based nutrition to people's doorsteps, we set out to create a new idea that fast food didn't have to be expensive or bad for you. Six months later, we built our permanent location in Cynthiana, IN. Then, January 2, 2018, we entered into a partnership with the YMCA of Southern Indiana to continue spreading the word of meal prep and eating with purpose.

Amanda coaches individually as well as continues to drive their business. Any questions about personal coaching can be directed to her at [email protected]

LIVING
PREPPED