Summary of Understanding Leavening Agents: Baking Soda Vs. Baking Powder
- How to turn baking soda into activator?
- What does drinking baking soda in water do for your stomach?
- Does baking soda have to be activated?
- How to make sure baking soda is active?
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AI Overview
AI Overview
To activate baking soda, you must
combine it with an acidic ingredient (like vinegar, lemon juice, buttermilk, or yogurt) and a liquid, which creates a chemical reaction that releases carbon dioxide gas, making baked goods rise and become fluffy, so mix your wet and dry ingredients right before baking for best results. For cleaning, the fizzing reaction with vinegar also works as a powerful deodorizer and scrubber, says a wikiHow article.
This video shows how to activate baking soda with lemon juice:
00:23
A Fresh Endeavor
YouTube • May 8, 2021
In Baking (to make things rise)
The Reaction: Baking soda (a base) needs an acid to create carbon dioxide bubbles.
Common Acids: Lemon juice, vinegar, yogurt, buttermilk, honey, or even natural cocoa powder.
The Process:
Combine the baking soda with the acidic wet ingredients in your recipe, then bake immediately
.
Example: Mix 1/4 tsp baking soda with 2 tsp vinegar or lemon juice to see it fizz and know it’s active.
Watch this video to see how baking soda reacts with an acid like vinegar:
00:49
Catherine Fulvio
YouTube • Oct 3, 2024
For Cleaning & Deodorizing (to create fizz)
Vinegar Method: Mix baking soda with vinegar (e.g., 1/4 cup baking soda with 2 tbsp vinegar and 1/4 cup warm water) to create a powerful fizz for cleaning sinks or drains.
Contact Solution Method (for slime): Mix about 1/2 tsp baking soda with 3 tbsp contact lens solution and glue.
This video demonstrates how to test if your baking soda is still active:
29s
Bake from Scratch
YouTube • Nov 3, 2024
Key Takeaway
Baking Soda: Needs acid + liquid to activate.
Baking Powder: Is a complete leavening agent (contains both acid and base) and activates with liquid and heat, notes the Clabber Girl site.
Baking Powder vs. Baking Soda: What’s the Difference? – Clabber Girl
It’s a base, which means it needs an acid (like lemon juice, buttermilk, or yogurt) to activate it. When baking soda comes into co…
Clabber Girl
Bread and Butter: Baking Powder Vs. Baking Soda | Utah Public Radio
Yes, baking soda reacts with an acid to produce carbon dioxide and allow baked goods to rise. Baking soda is a basic powder that n…
Utah Public Radio
3 Ways to Activate Baking Soda – wikiHow
1. Add vinegar to baking soda. Vinegar is an acid, and baking soda is a base. Thus, if you mix them together, you will get an acid…
wikiHow
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Introduction: Understanding Leavening Agents: Baking Soda Vs. Baking Powder
So you’ve noticed that sometimes when you’re baking something, the recipe calls for baking powder, while other times it wants you to add baking soda and something weird like lemon juice or vinegar. Other times, you’re asked to add both baking powder and baking soda to the recipe…what gives!?
If you’re interested in the science behind the food you love to cook and eat but have never really thought to look into it, you’ve landed in the right place.
My name is Jeff Potter, author of Cooking for Geeks, and today’s quick lesson in gastronomy will cover some of the differences between baking soda and baking powder.
Step 1: The Agents – How They Work
Here they are. On the left, good old-fashioned baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate. On the right, baking powder, which is a combination several different compounds.
The quick answer to how leavening agents work is that they cause the batter that we use to make cakes and breads (among other things) to rise. This is accomplished by the leavening agents creating gas (usually CO2), which when incorporated into the dough makes the dough rise and your baked goods turn out light and fluffy.
Step 2: Baking Soda
Baking soda is pure sodium bicarbonate, or “soda bic” as it is sometimes affectionately called. When placed in a glass of water, it will not cause any significant gas-like reaction. So how and why is it used in so many recipes, you ask?
In order to inspire it to do its “thing”, baking soda needs to have an acid compound added to it. When it does come into contact with an acid, stand-back. This is the bubble-fest you’ve been waiting for.
Incidentally, this is the same technology used to create those grade school science fair volcanoes that are still making the rounds.
Step 3: Baking Powder
Baking powder on the other hand, is a self-contained leavening system. Scoop some baking powder into a cup full of water, and you will see an instant reaction.
Step 4: Which Do I Use?
In order to optimise the bubble factor and therefore, the texture of your baked goods, make sure that if you are using baking soda as your primary leavening agent, use an acid (like vinegar or buttermilk) to activate it.
Baking powder is ready to use right out of the can, and therefore it is often the more recommended leavening agent. It’s quick, easy, and no-fuss.
Step 5: Check Out the Book!
If you like thinking about the science behind your food, check out Cooking for Geeks, where you can find the information in this intractable on page 243. Also, visit the Cooking for Geeks webpage by clicking here, and read two chapters for free! If you enjoyed this instructable and video, please like and subscribe to my YouTube channel for more scientifically-minded gastronomic delights!