Can Baking Powder Be Used Instead of Baking Soda
Yes. Use 3 times as much baking powder as the baking soda the recipe calls for: 1 tsp soda becomes 3 tsp baking powder. It works best in cakes, muffins, pancakes and quick breads. Expect a slightly paler, puffier result with a little less spread. The reverse swap, baking soda in place of baking powder, is much trickier.
Why three times as much?
Baking powder is roughly one-third baking soda. The rest is the dry acid it reacts with and a little starch to keep it dry. So to get the same amount of lifting power, you need about three times the volume.
There is one catch. If the recipe was built around baking soda, it usually contains an acidic ingredient, such as buttermilk, yogurt, brown sugar or natural cocoa, for the soda to neutralise. Baking powder brings its own acid instead, so that tang stays in the bake. Most people do not notice, but buttermilk pancakes can taste a touch sharper.
Worked example: banana bread
Say your banana bread recipe uses 250 g flour and 1 tsp baking soda, and you have none.
- Replace it with 3 tsp (1 tbsp) baking powder.
- If the recipe also lists baking powder, add the 3 tsp on top of it.
- Make no other changes.
- Bake as normal. The loaf will be a shade lighter in color, with a slightly more domed top.
How well it works in different recipes
| Recipe | How well the swap works | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| Muffins, banana bread, quick breads | Very well | Slightly paler and more domed |
| Pancakes and waffles | Very well | Fluffy; buttermilk versions taste a little tangier |
| Vanilla and carrot cakes | Well | Barely noticeable |
| Chocolate chip cookies | OK | Thicker and cakier, with less spread |
| Chocolate cake with natural cocoa | OK | Less deep in color, slightly more bitter |
| Gingerbread and molasses cookies | Poor | Pale, with no crackle. Wait and buy baking soda |
| Soda bread | OK | Rises, but tastes less traditional |
Can you go the other way?
Using baking soda instead of baking powder only works if you also add an acid. For each 1 tsp baking powder, use ¼ tsp baking soda plus ½ tsp cream of tartar, or ¼ tsp soda plus ½ tsp vinegar or lemon juice. Without that acid, the bake tastes soapy and rises poorly. Details are in the cream of tartar method and the vinegar method.
Do not swap 1:1. One teaspoon of baking powder in place of one teaspoon of soda gives only about a third of the lift, and the result is dense and heavy.
For every possible substitute, including potassium bicarbonate and self-rising flour, see the best equivalent of baking soda for every recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
About 3 teaspoons (1 tablespoon).
Slightly. Bakes can be a little tangier and less browned, but in most cakes and muffins the difference is small.
Yes, but the cookies will be thicker and cakier. Press the dough balls flat before baking for more spread.