Hey Guys,
A lot of my students ask me about this question and they find it the most confusing topic in baking!
What is the difference between baking powder and baking soda?
Baking powder and baking soda are both leavening agents but THEY ARE NOT THE SAME.
My mother used to add B. Soda in idly batter which was made with rawa and curd and used to put it for steaming right away and i never understood why!
Here, I am writing the differences in a tabular format for better understanding. Here you go:
What is the quantity of B. Soda/B. Powder to be added in recipes?
Too much baking soda is not good for your recipe and usually, 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda per 1 cup of flour in a recipe is good enough.
Similarly, about 1 teaspoon of baking powder is good enough for the recipe that has 1 cup of flour!
Why some recipes have both B. Powder and B.Soda?
Some recipes call have both baking powder and baking soda. These recipes contain acid in some forms like yoghurt, vinegar etc. When the CO2 created by b.soda is not enough for the recipe to function properly, baking powder is also added!
Sometimes, you need more leavening and you need both these agents!
Also, sometimes, a recipe calls for both baking powder and baking soda where baking powder does most of the job and baking soda makes the texture tender.
Substitutes:
If you have a recipe calling for baking soda, you might be able to substitute baking powder. However, you will need up to three times the amount of baking powder. You might end up with a baked good that is bitter in taste.
Some recipes call for baking soda, while others call for baking powder. Which ingredient is used depends on the contents of the other ingredients.
Baking soda is basic and will yield a bitter taste unless countered by the acidity of another ingredient, such as curd or vinegar. You will find baking soda in some of the cookie recipes. Baking powder contains both an acid and a base and has an overall neutral effect in terms of taste. Recipes that call for baking powder often call for other neutral-tasting ingredients, such as milk. Baking powder is a common ingredient in cakes.
Some tea-cakes have both baking powder and baking soda and they also have ingredients like curd and milk, both!
PLEASE DON’T USE EXPIRED LEAVENING AGENTS!
It is very very important to use fresh/dry ingredients which aren’t expired. It’s advisable to always keep a tap on their expiry date. If you miss that, please ensure that you test your ingredients before putting them in your recipes,
How to test baking powder
Take about 30 ml of warm water, add 5 grams of baking powder to it. If you see the fizz, it’s fresh.
How To Test Baking Soda
To test baking soda, pour 2 tablespoon of curd into a small bowl. Add 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda and mix. If the mixture starts bubbling up, your baking soda is fresh!
Hope this blog helped you understand the basic difference between baking powder and baking soda. Should you have any queries, feel free to comment below and I will get back to you soon 🙂
Love,
Mehak