Are baking soda and baking powder interchangeable?
Although baking powder and baking soda are both leavening agents used to make baked goods rise by producing bubbles of carbon dioxide, they react differently in a chemical sense with other ingredients, so they can’t always be substituted. Baking soda is pristine sodium bicarbonate. When it combines with other ingredients like milk or eggs, the chemical reaction is immediate. Recipes need to be baked pronto or the leavening effect will be kiboshed, and the finished product will be pancake-flat. Baking powder, on the other hand, is a blend of sodium bicarbonate, cream of tartar and usually starch. There are two versions: single-acting and double-acting. The former, which is activated by moisture, requires the recipes to be baked immediately, while the latter has some forgiveness and the mixture can stand before baking. Since baking soda is a pure base, it needs to combine with an acid such as buttermilk to counteract the bitter taste. Baking powder is both a base and an acid, yielding a
