Baking Soda vs. Baking Powder

Question: What's the difference between baking soda and baking powder?

Answer: These are both leavening agentsused in baked goods. Baking powder (pictured) contains baking soda, cream of tartar, andcornstarch. It begins to rise when it becomes wet and rises again when it isexposed to heat. That is why you see “double-acting” on the label.

Baking sodais typically used when the recipe contains an acid, such as buttermilk oryogurt. When the soda and the acid are combined, it will begin to riseimmediately.

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Photo: Courtesy JYolkowski on Wikimedia