Baking Soda
Baking soda, is used as a leavening agent when baking cookies, bread and cake. During baking, baking soda reacts with an acidic ingredient, so these two together provide the rising and fluffiness. You will therefore often encounter baking soda in recipes that already contain an acidic ingredient, for example a lemon cake. If this is not standard, you will have to add an acidic ingredient yourself to make your pastry rise, for example with tartaric acid, citric acid, lemon juice, yogurt, buttermilk, cocoa or honey.
Find more information about the use of baking soda and the alternative, baking powder, at the bottom of this page.
Baking Soda
Sodium bicarbonate (E500).
Store in a cool, dry place, 8-20°C.
Nutritional values per 100 g
| Energy | 0 kJ / 0 kcal |
| Fat | 0 g |
| of which saturated | 0 g |
| Carbohydrate | 0 g |
| of which sugar | 0 g |
| Protein | 0 g |
| Salt | 0 g |
- 100 g (F54450)
Baking soda or baking powder, what’s the difference?
The difference between baking soda and the alternative baking powder is the presence of acid. Baking soda doesn’t contain an acid, while baking powder does. To make cakes rise with baking soda, an acidic ingredient will always have to be incorporated into the recipe. This is not the case with baking powder. That’s why you’ll often find baking soda in recipes that already contain an acidic ingredient, such as lemon tarts (lemon) or chocolate cakes (cocoa). Recipes that do not contain an acidic ingredient are more likely to use baking powder to help the pastry rise.
Can I substitute baking powder by baking soda?
Yes, you can replace these two ingredients by one another, on 2 conditions. Take into account the addition of an acidic ingredient and realize that baking soda is a stronger ingredient than baking powder. As a rule of thumb: 1 teaspoon of baking soda equals 3 teaspoons of baking powder. When replacing baking powder with baking soda, you always reduce the amount stated in the recipe. You also add an acid to it, such as tartaric acid or citric acid. This acidic ingredient doesn’t influence the flavours in your recipe, but in combination with the baking soda only ensures the rising.
When mixing baking soda with the other ingredients, the effect of the baking soda is immediately set in motion. So make sure to put your batter in the oven right after mixing all the ingredients. With baking powder, this process is slower and you are fine letting your batter sit for a while before putting it in the oven.
