FOOD NEWS
The Hack That Lets You Know When To Use Baking Soda Vs Powder
By C.A. Pinkham
As the old expression goes: "Cooking is an art, baking is a science." Using the right measurements and ingredients is important, especially regarding baking soda and baking powder.
Although they're both leavening agents, they behave differently. As it turns out, there's an all-important phrase that will help you out here: "Powder puffs, soda spreads."
Baking powder causes recipes to rise (and keep rising), while baking soda mostly causes them to spread out. Baking soda is a purely alkaline compound that dissolves in water.
Baking soda reacts with acids in ingredients like yogurt, lemon juice, buttermilk, and vinegar, generating carbon dioxide gas bubbles that cause the dish to rise and spread.
Baking powder is baking soda mixed with a powdered acid, like cream of tartar or sodium aluminum sulfate, and a thickener, like cornstarch. All it needs is moisture and heat.
Adding more baking soda to a recipe doesn't result in more lift unless you add a corresponding amount of acid, but baking powder has its own built-in reaction and feeds itself.