What is the difference between baking soda and baking powder?

Question

All the baking websites just tell you the science and what they react with, but I want to know when you use which etc?

Answer 1

Baking soda is pure sodium bicarbonate.

Baking powder is a concoction containing sodium bicarbonate, cream of tartar, and a drying agent (usually starch).

Some recipes call for baking soda, while others call for baking powder. Which ingredient is used depends on the other ingredients in the recipe.

The ultimate goal is to produce a tasty product with a pleasing texture. Baking soda is basic and will yield a bitter taste unless countered by the acidity of another ingredient, such as buttermilk. You'll find baking soda in 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 and biscuits.

You can substitute baking powder in place of baking soda (you'll need more baking powder and it may affect the taste), but you can't use baking soda when a recipe calls for baking powder. Baking soda by itself lacks the acidity to make a cake rise. However, you can make your own baking powder if you have baking soda and cream of tartar. Simply mix two parts cream of tartar with one part baking soda.

Answer 2

Baking powder is a dry chemical leavening agent used in baking and deodorizing. There are several formulations; all contain an alkali, typically sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), and an acid in the form of salt crystals, together with starch dioxide gas, which expands existing bubbles to leaven the mixture. Most modern baking powders are double acting, that is, they contain two acid salts, one which reacts at room temperature, producing a rise as soon as the dough or batter is prepared, and another which reacts at a higher temperature, causing a further rise during baking. Baking powders that contain only the low-temperature acid salts are called single acting. Many recipes call for a process called creaming, where butter and sugar are beaten together to introduce tiny seed bubbles which the leavening gas will further expand.

Sodium bicarbonate (Baking Soda) is primarily used in cooking (baking) where it reacts with other components to release carbon dioxide, that helps dough "rise." The acidic compounds that induce this reaction include cream of tartar, lemon juice, yogurt, etc. Some forms of baking powder contain sodium bicarbonate combined with cream of tartar.

So baking soda is the "active ingredient" in baking powder. Baking powder is the "mix" of baking soda & acid salts...so you don't have to add stuff like cream of tartar as an additional step, like how its listed in old cookbooks for cookies and such.

Answer 3

Baking soda is simply sodium bicarbonate; although baking powder also contains sodium bicarbonate, it also contains cornstarch, sodium aluminum sulfate and monocalcium phosphate. When do you use which? If making bread (biscuits and cornbread) you use baking powder in both to make them rise. If you use regular milk in them, don't add soda. If you use buttermilk, add soda.

Answer 4

one is a leavener and one makes things rise.