We’re back to talking about substitutes, because there’s nothing worse than getting halfway through a recipe and realizing you’re out of an ingredient. Earlier this month, we talked about what to use as a substitute for eggs. Today, we’re going to talk about baking soda: what is it, how does it work, why is it so important in baking, and what to use if you need a substitute.
Baking soda is just sodium bicarbonate rebranded, which is to say that it’s a leavening agent that mixes with other ingredients in a recipe and creates a chemical reaction. This reaction is what causes baked goods to expand in the oven.
Unlike eggs, there aren’t a handful of substitutes that will work to do the job of baking soda. In fact, there’s really only one tried and true baking soda substitute: baking powder. You may be scratching your head, and for good reason. But let us explain: baking powder is actually made by combining baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), along with a few other things, so it’s commonly used as a baking soda substitute in a pinch.
Baking Soda Substitute
So now that we know that baking powder can be used as a baking soda substitute, let’s talk specifics. Because baking soda is pure sodium bicarbonate, and baking powder is only partially from sodium bicarbonate, you need to substitute more baking powder for baking soda. About three times as much. The general rule of thumb when baking is to use a 3 to 1 ratio.
Also, since baking powder has a slight salt content, it can change the taste of whatever you’re cooking. To combat this, if you’re baking something that calls for salt, and using baking powder as a substitute, you may want to lower the amount of salt you use in your recipe (or even cut out the salt completely) so that your end product doesn’t come out overly-salted.
Do you have any tips for using baking powder as a baking soda substitute? Share with us in the comments!
