Baking Soda Versus Baking Powder

This is a rather good article on the science behind baking soda and baking powder, especially in how each of these ingredients reacts with other ingredients and with heat.

Both baking soda and baking powder contain sodium bicarbonate. In fact, sodium bicarbonate is another name for baking soda, since that is the only ingredient in baking soda. On the other hand, baking powder contains other ingredients that provides the acid to react with sodium bicarbonate. The differences in content and how they react are the reasons why they are used for different recipes and purposes. In fact, in some recipes, both might be used together.

Of course, I use these two quite often at different times in making scones, biscuits, banana bread, etc. The whole family of quick breads depends on baking soda and baking powder.

Zz.