Baking Soda and Baking Powder: When to Use Which One

Photo by Amber Maxwell Boydell on Unsplash

Are you an inexperienced baker and often get confused whether you need baking soda or baking powder for the recipe? Here’s when to use which one.

Even though they have the same purpose, to make our cakes and pastry tall and fluffy, there are some differences that make different recipes call for either one or the other.

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Baking Soda

Baking soda should be used with sour ingredients such as lemon juice. It produces carbon monoxide and helps the dough rise in the oven. It can have a bitter taste that disappears when mixed with sour ingredients.

Baking Powder

Baking powder is made with baking soda and acid, so it has a mild, neutral taste. It goes best with neutral-tasting ingredients, such as milk.

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Can You Use One Instead of the Other?

You can easily replace baking soda with baking powder and not notice any difference. In the opposite case, the absence of acidity will have you taste the soda, which can be unpleasant.