When you follow a baking recipe, it might sometimes say to use baking soda or baking powder, or maybe even it will to use a mixture of both, or neither.
But a baker wants to set the record straight that they can't be used interchangeably – and there's a good reason for it.
Baking fans were baffled after From Scratch Bakery's Alice Kelly explained why, as many thought they were different names for the same thing.
Alice, from Kildare in Ireland, took to TikTok to share with her almost 1m followers: "I can't keep this a secret any longer. Bicarbonate of soda and baking powder are not the same thing."
The reason for this is that they both cause the bakes to rise at different times.
In the video, she continued: "Bicarbonate of soda starts to rise instantly and that's why you need to put it into the oven fast (when it's mixed with a liquid).
"That's why people like using it for pancakes and cookies. Things that don't need to rise more than that.
"Baking powder will rise twice. It will rise just like bicarbonate of soda but it will also rise when heat touches it. That's why it's better for cakes."
If a recipe calls for baking powder and you don't have any, Alice has a recommendation. She explained: "If you don't have any baking powder and you need it, you can mix cream of tartar with baking soda and it is the same."
In the comment section people were baffled to learn that the two weren't the same thing, and were thankful for the explanation.
One commenter said: "I thought they were the same. I thought one was just more fancy than the other."
Another simply said: "Thank you for this omg," while a third added: "I've always wondered what the difference was thank you for clarifying".
"Very well explained, thank you," commented a fourth.
Several people shared a simple way of remembering the different functions of baking soda and powder. Simply remember the term: "Soda spreads and powder puffs",
Did you know the difference? Let us know in the comment section below.
