What’s the Difference Between Baking Powder and Baking Soda?

The goal of both substances is to produce carbon dioxide in a batter to make cakes or bread rise.

Both are used in preference to yeast because they work much faster--a few minutes for the chemicals versus two to three hours for yeast.

Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate. When exposed to an acid, it produces gaseous carbon dioxide.

Baking soda is usually used in recipes that also use an acidic liquid, like buttermilk or yogurt. Baking soda is a component of baking powder, which also contains a dry acid such as cream of tartar and a filler such as starch. When the powder is dissolved in a liquid, the ingredients combine to produce carbon dioxide. Single-acting baking powder produces all of its carbon dioxide when the mixture is dissolved.

Double-acting baking powder also produces some gas when the mixture is heated.