Have you ever tried using both baking powder and baking soda in a recipe?
By pepai123456
@pepai123456 (879)
Philippines
January 31, 2012 6:55pm CST
I have tried this method due to the fact that some cake recipes calls for both leaveners, and Im really amazed at how better the result is the cake is actually more crumbly and scrumptious.
I had this experience when I was making a simple chocolate cake (Hershey's chocolate cake Note: I have done this cake like 3 times using both baking powder and baking soda) one afternoon, and the recipe calls for both baking powder and baking soda (maybe its because the cocoa is acidic and baking soda reacts best to it)and i don't have baking soda in my pantry.So I forgo the baking soda and just doubled the amount of baking powder and gosh the result was a disaster... its like the cake has a crack in the center and resembles a volcano that is going to erupt, and it didn't leaven at all it was dense (gosh i was so disappointed that time)it wasn't the baking powders fault i checked it putting a small amount in a hot water and it bubbles so its fine and i followed the recipe exactly.After 2 days i went and buy Baking soda and tried it again and it came out perfect it was high, moist, and scrumptious (for that i made a ganache to frost it).
Have you tried using both baking powder and baking soda in a recipe?
Have you noticed any difference at all with only baking powder used in a recipe?
I know baking powders are really great for vanilla cakes, chiffon cake, pound cake etc but it acts weird on chocolate cakes ...
2 people like this
9 responses
@celticeagle (165954)
• Boise, Idaho
1 Feb 12
These two agents actually have some of the same thing in them. Baking soda is just that and an acid has to be added to it for it to raise the dough or batter. In baking powder there is the baking powder and an acid and usually Cream of tartar and several other things. It depends on the other ingredients as to which you would want to use. I don't recall ever using both in a recipe.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (165954)
• Boise, Idaho
1 Feb 12
This is interesting. Almost like a science experiment.
@pepai123456 (879)
• Philippines
1 Feb 12
yeah some recipe especially chocolate cake that calls for sour cream or something acidic on it doesn't really need baking powder it uses baking soda instead. while chocolate cake that uses only cocoa(cocoa is acidic) and uses hot boiling water (the result would be a thin batter so its a high ratio cake) thats what i noticed 
1 person likes this
@pepai123456 (879)
• Philippines
1 Feb 12
it uses both for the chocolate cake that uses cocoa only.
2 people like this
@loveandpeace (470)
• Indonesia
1 Feb 12
Hi, I seldom bake and I'm not very good at it. I always follow what the recipe says. If I don't have one of the ingredient then I'll postpone the baking until I complete the stuffs. I'm not an expert on baking, so I didn't dare to substitute one or two missing ingredients, I rather wait 
.
.1 person likes this
@pepai123456 (879)
• Philippines
1 Feb 12
Your a very wise cook/home baker 
We shouldn't really mess up with the recipe. I have done the cake like 3 times before and they where perfect, then i just realized it in the 4th time i did the chocolate cake, that using baking powder alone for chocolate cakes and other cake recipe that has sour stuff on it will destroy the balance of acid in the leavener (baking powder has acid already on it) and will not rise(it wont expand the gas in the batter during baking). Its a good a lesson for me too remind me of the basic rules and not to waste ingredients gah...
have a great day loveandpeace! enjoy baking 
We shouldn't really mess up with the recipe. I have done the cake like 3 times before and they where perfect, then i just realized it in the 4th time i did the chocolate cake, that using baking powder alone for chocolate cakes and other cake recipe that has sour stuff on it will destroy the balance of acid in the leavener (baking powder has acid already on it) and will not rise(it wont expand the gas in the batter during baking). Its a good a lesson for me too remind me of the basic rules and not to waste ingredients gah...
have a great day loveandpeace! enjoy baking 1 person likes this
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
1 Feb 12
I have used both baking soda and baking powder, not only in chocolate cake, but also in hotcakes and waffles. Putting all baking soda in hotcakes and waffles does not work because it gives a funny taste, and it does work with sour milk. I have not tried just baking powder in a chocolate cake - there is the one pan cake recipes where you mix the cocoa, vinegar, sugar, etc. - I think they call it the Crazy Cake, but that has been a while since I made it - and it contained both, I think. If the recipe has sour milk in it, or has rolled oats, then it contains baking soda, but it is in such small quantities that it does not taste funny.
But in order for something to rise, you do need both.
1 person likes this
@pepai123456 (879)
• Philippines
1 Feb 12
yeah baking soda in huge amounts in a cake tastes detergentry...(I don't know if that is a word haha...)
1 person likes this
@leeloo (1492)
• Portugal
1 Feb 12
I have made cakes with both or with just one of them. It depends on the cake the heavier the cake the more likely it will use baking soda, as it has a stronger base, things like fruit cakes normally use baking soda or yeast. Baking powder consists of a mix of baking soda, with other components, so theoretically it should work the same, but as you said it doesn't, I once had the opposite problem I had baking soda and not baking powder, the cake tasted all weird and it was dry, so certain cakes work better with certain leavening agent. I have a sponge cake that I make that takes neither baking powder or baking soda, it just takes eggs, plain flour and sugar that is it oh and a pinch of salt, so you can make a cake without a raising agent.
@pepai123456 (879)
• Philippines
2 Feb 12
The sponge cake you mentioned is a genouise cake that requires the air from the eggs through foaming to reach a certain volume and to help in leavening(or the main source of leavening).
a cake that uses mainly baking soda and has an after taste of detergent (that's how i describe the taste) has an imbalance in acidic ingredient because the acid will start the reaction resulting to expansion of air + other by products...they say its not advisable to eat cakes that uses baking soda fresh from the oven(reaction is sill happening you know what i mean it still smells off)...
@MaryLynn321 (2680)
• United States
1 Feb 12
I have several recipes that require both baking soda and baking powder. But, I have never tried leaving one of them out.
At least you now know that that recipe definitely needs both the baking soda and baking powder to make the cake a success.
Nice to see your discussions back on mylot.
Have a nice day.
@pepai123456 (879)
• Philippines
2 Feb 12
Thank you Mary yeah i was busy about that cake decorating thinggy and i still need to get some of the pictures... wew...
true that was a disappointing day for me i waste like 2 cups of sugar and everything else , a really hard hitting lesson for me .
have a great day Mary Thanks for the compliment
.
have a great day Mary Thanks for the compliment1 person likes this
@pepai123456 (879)
• Philippines
2 Feb 12
really that is madness baking powder is baking soda to start with....
@marie2052 (3691)
• United States
1 Feb 12
Some cakes, and lots of cookie recipes will call for both.
Sometimes I run out of one or the other in the middle of making something and have to stomp off to the store to get some before I can continue.
Its just not something that is used in every day cooking and I forget to make sure I am not running out LOL
have a wonderful day.
@pepai123456 (879)
• Philippines
2 Feb 12
sometimes I prefer baking soda because u just need an acidic ingredient but if its not balance like you use vinegar and you only put a small amount of it the cake/baked product taste off (taste like detergent).
@Ryan45212 (26)
• United States
1 Feb 12
I have used them both as part of a recipe and sometimes in products that are a bit dated but the baking soda will freshen them up so to speak. Im referring to cake mixes,box products that have officially expired. It will help make them fresh. Or at least that is what I read on the web and tried and it worked for me. I will tell you if a recipe calls for it dont forget it. I have a great peanut butter cookie recipe and they turn out great but one time I was talking on the phone while mixing it up and forgot the baking soda and baking powder and you could tell the difference. The cookies didnt rise and were sorta yucky.. Its amazing how something as simple as a half teaspoon of baking soda and 1/3 baking powder left out of a recipe can ruin the whole recipe. Needless to say I havent forgetten them again and realize the importance of them if it is required..
@NailTech (6874)
• United States
9 Feb 12
Yes I have used it on the last thing I baked in fact, which was a banana bread. It came out fine, and I thought it wouldn't due to so much baking powder it called for and too much flour. I even left 1/4 of the flour out and still it looked like it was alittle too much (batter too thick). It did taste slightly dry but I'm eating it and still alive, it wasn't really that bad. I put some liquid like honey or butter on it and it tastes yummy. I hate to waste food anyways so I will just know next time to lessen the flour. Otherwise the baking soda and powder were just fine. I found the recipe on the Net which I'm reluctant to use always due to some errors in the recipes sometimes.
