Knowing the difference between baking powder and baking soda will help you achieve perfect bakes and avoid any recipe failures.
Baking soda is the common name for sodium bicarbonate, a salty, alkaline chemical compound that has a wide variety of uses. Baking powder, which consists of baking soda and acid salts, is a leavening agent used to lighten and soften the texture of baked goods.
It’s no wonder that baking soda and baking powder are easily confused, considering their similar names and appearance, plus the fact that they’re often used within the same recipe. But when it comes to their individual uses, it’s important to know the difference.
Using the wrong amount of baking powder or baking soda in a recipe can significantly alter a baked goods texture. So, before moving into the difference you should individually know these two terms. So here’s the scoop.
Baking Soda
Baking soda is just sodium bicarbonate, and it is alkaline (meaning on the pH scale, it’s the side of being a base, or a pH above 7). You’d want to use baking soda if your recipe contains a large amount of acidic ingredients (such as buttermilk, honey, vinegar, coffee, natural cocoa powder, etc.), because when you bake you want your acids and bases to be balanced. Baking soda also causes an immediate chemical reaction with acids, so your baked goods will rise very quickly.
Baking Powder
Baking powder is a little different. Even though it contains the same active ingredient as baking soda, it also has an addition of weak acids which pull it slightly toward the acidic side of the pH scale (pH below 7). So with that said, you’d use this in recipes featuring more alkaline ingredients, such as Dutch processed cocoa, certain fruits, etc.
Baking powder has a more delayed chemical reaction, so if you use it your baked goods will rise more slowly but for a longer period of time (this is because most baking powder is double acting and will therefore only react with added liquid and added heat). You’ll probably find yourself using baking soda more often than baking powder, as it’s more common in recipes.
With the right measurements and ingredients, it is possible to make homemade baking powder, and, in some cases, baking powder can be used as a substitute for baking soda. So let’s start to know about the difference between Baking powder and Baking soda below.
Definition
Baking powder consists of baking soda and acid salts, is a leavening agent used to lighten and soften the texture of baked goods whereas Baking soda is the common name for sodium bicarbonate, a salty, alkaline chemical compound that has a wide variety of uses.
Ingredients
Baking powder consists of three dry ingredients: an acid, such as monocalcium phosphate; a base, which is baking soda; and filler, such as cornstarch, that will serve as a drying agent while baking soda is Sodium bicarbonate.
Substitution
Baking powder can be used in place of baking soda. However, figuring out how much baking powder to use as a substitute can be tricky and greatly depends on other ingredients and baking soda cannot be used instead of baking powder. However, it is possible to make homemade baking powder with baking soda, cream of tartar, and (optionally) cornstarch.
Calories (Per 100g)
Baking powder has 53g calories/100g while Baking soda has 0g calorie.
Content of Carbohydrates & Sodium
Baking powder has 28 g of Carbohydrates with 10600 mg (441% of daily value) of Sodium whereas Baking soda has 0 g carbohydrates with 27360 mg (1140% of daily value) of Sodium content per 100 g.
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