Baking Soda vs Baking Powder

What is the difference between Baking Powder and Baking Soda?

Some recipes call for Baking Powder, some recipes call for both. Having a conversation with some of my Chef friends. I didn't know the extact answer. What is the difference? so I had to dig in. After some reading this is what I found.

To understand what is Baking Powder first we have to go through the Baking Soda.

Baking Soda:

• Is an Alkaline
• It reacts with heat
• It reacts with acidity

Baking Soda has so many purposes other than cooking. It used to be use as:

• Teeth Whitening
• Feet deodorant
• Elbow and knee whitening
• Silver and metal cleaner
• Stomach anti-acid
• Face scrub
• And even the Bath bombs for relaxing Baths contain up to 50% of Baking Soda

Bicarbonate Soda is use in baking to generate "carbon dioxide". As (NaHCO3) reacts just at 60 C or to acidity. Baking Powder first type was made with wood ash acting as the alkaline. Since the mid 1800's Baking Powder is very similar as we know it today.

What is the difference?
There is actually not much difference. Baking Powder is an stable Baking Soda. The composition of Baking Powder (Alkaline) is 2 part to 1 part of Creme of Tartare (Acid). So you have an Alkaline and Acid, this two with water will react immediately.

Remember? back in the 80's when making cakes. As soon as the mix was ready you had to put it in the oven, before the cake collapsed. To make this two components stable you need a third, in this case our "stabiliser" is corn flour or regular flour.

For this reason baking powder reacts at higher temperature. Also for recipes with high acidity you can add some baking soda. Having this information you can make calls on adjusting recipes or improving them.

Remember Mexican Vanilla is the way forward!