The Difference Between Baking Soda and Baking Powder (And When to Use Them)

Baking soda and baking powder are two essential ingredients in baking, but they are often confused. While both are leavening agents—meaning they help baked goods rise—they work in different ways. Understanding the differences between them and when to use each can make a huge difference in your baking success.

What Is Baking Soda?

Baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate, is a pure alkaline compound. It reacts with acidic ingredients (like lemon juice, vinegar, buttermilk, or yogurt) to produce carbon dioxide gas, which creates bubbles that make baked goods rise. However, baking soda needs an acid and moisture to activate.

When to Use Baking Soda:

• When your recipe includes acidic ingredients (e.g., brown sugar, buttermilk, citrus, yogurt, vinegar, or molasses).
• When you need a quick and strong leavening reaction.
• In recipes where a slight crispiness is desired, such as cookies and crackers.

Example Uses:

• Chocolate chip cookies (reacts with brown sugar)
• Buttermilk pancakes
• Banana bread (reacts with ripe bananas)

What Is Baking Powder?

Baking powder is a combination of baking soda, an acid (usually cream of tartar), and a drying agent (like cornstarch). Since it already contains an acid, it doesn’t need additional acidic ingredients to activate.

Most baking powders are double-acting, meaning they create two leavening reactions:

1. When mixed with liquid (starts the rising process).
2. When exposed to heat (provides additional lift in the oven).

When to Use Baking Powder:

• When a recipe does not contain acidic ingredients.
• When a more controlled rise is needed over time.
• In recipes that require a light, fluffy texture, like cakes or muffins.

Example Uses:

• Classic vanilla cake
• Biscuits
• Pancakes (when no buttermilk is used)

Can You Substitute One for the Other?

• If you only have baking soda: You’ll need to add an acid to the recipe (like vinegar or lemon juice) to activate it.
• If you only have baking powder: You may need to adjust the amount, as baking powder is weaker than baking soda. Generally, 3 teaspoons of baking powder = 1 teaspoon of baking soda in a recipe.

Key Takeaways:

Feature	Baking Soda	Baking Powder
Contains Acid?	No	Yes
Needs Acid to Work?	Yes	No
Reaction Type	Immediate	Gradual (double-acting)
Best for	Crispier textures, quick rise	Fluffier baked goods, slow rise

Understanding the role of each can help you bake with more confidence and achieve the perfect texture in your favorite recipes!