Undoing Some Common Confusion

For years, I have never really taken the time to understand the difference between Baking Soda and Baking Powder. One of these is a chemical derived from mineral deposits (think geology!). The other is a man-made substance. Read on to learn or understand the difference between these two common ingredients used in baking.

                        BAKING SODA (= A NATURAL MINERAL)

It comes in an orangish box with strong arm holding a sledge hammer

This substance is also known as bread soda, cooking soda, brewing soda, or bicarbonate of soda.

Baking soda consists of sodium hydrogen bicarbonate, a bona fide evaporate mineral (NaHCO3) that occurs in nature as either the mineral nahcolite or the mineral trona. Nahcolite deposits are found in the USA, Botswana, Kenya, Uganda, Turkey, and Mexico. Trona is mostly found in the Green River basin in Wyoming, USA.

Baking soda does NOT contain an acid, thus it needs something acidic [lemon juice, vinegar, etc.] added to it, in order for it to work properly in making baked goods, like  bread, cookies, etc.

Baking soda is mainly used as a leavening agent as it reacts with acid (vinegar, yogurt, butter milk) to produced carbon dioxide in the process of making bread and cookies, etc.). Baking soda can also be used for cleaning stains, to neutralize acids, a browning agent for crisping in baking, a tenderizer of meat, an effect deodorant, and is used for water treatment.

         BAKING POWDER  (= A MAN-MADE FORMULA)

 

Usually comes in a white thin can with red lettering.

This is a generalized name pertaining to baking material (used for leavening purposes) with a variable chemical composition (i.e., it does not have a precise chemical formula). It is a mixture of sodium bicarbonate and a weak acid (already “built in”) that reacts to release carbon dioxide. Thus, baking powder does not need the addition of any acid.

So, for now you understand. But, will you remember the difference? If you are like me, probably not.