BAKING SODA VS. BAKING POWDER

Can Baking soda be substituted for baking powder?

These two baking staples are both leavening agents, but they work at different speeds and in different environments, so they are not interchangeable. Baking soda, or pure sodium bicarbonate, is required in recipes that have an acidic ingredient, such as molasses, sour cream, or chocolate. Baking soda reacts with the acid and moisture, releasing carbon dioxide and causing the dough or batter to rise, yielding fluffy muffins or cakes.

Baking powder consists of baking soda, cream of tartar, and cornstarch. It is used in recipes without an acidic ingredient because it already contains an acid (cream of tartar). There are three types of baking powder: fast-acting, slow-acting, and double-acting. Most baking powder is double-acting, which ensures that the dough rises twice: first when the moisture hits it and again when it reacts with heat inside the oven.

(This was taken from Martha Stewart’s October 2011 issue of Living.)