Research

Before baking powder and baking soda, yeast was used to make breads rise. Baking powder, yeast and baking soda are called leavening agents because they all make bread rise. Many recipes call for baking powder, but you can use baking soda if you add an acid. Baking soda is one of the earliest methods of chemical leavening. The first baking powder was called portable yeast because it was a combination of baking soda and cream of tartar. There are many uses for baking powder and baking soda try to find one of your own. Some recipes use both, particularly if an acid is present in the recipe formula.

A leavening agent lightens the mixture, which can be produced by steam, carbon dioxide, and yeast. The most popular leavening agent today is baking powder but in the 1800’s they hadn’t invented it so they used yeast and baking soda with an acid. Baking powder is made of corn starch, sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), sodium aluminum sulfate, and monocalcium phosphate. The main reason for baking soda is that it combines with the acid to produce carbon dioxide in the batter. Without the leavening agents the mixture will not rise and the dough will be heavy.

You can create your own leavening agent by using baking soda and an acid. Some examples of an acid are cream of tartar, sour milk, buttermilk, molasses, orange juice, lemon juice, and yogurt. Without the presence of an acid the product will not rise, as soda must react with the acid to produce CO2 due to the heaviness of the dough.