Baking powder and baking soda are two of the most commonly used ingredients in baking – and also two of the most frequently confused. But if you want to avoid flat cakes and overly dense muffins, understanding the difference between these pantry staples is essential.

Is baking soda the same as baking powder?

Baking powder and baking soda – or, as it’s known here in Australia, bicarb soda – may look and sound the same, but they behave very differently once they hit the mixing bowl.

Baking or bicarb soda is pure sodium bicarbonate, a powerful alkaline ingredient that requires an acid – such as lemon juice, yogurt, buttermilk or brown sugar – to activate its leavening power. When combined with acid and liquid, it creates carbon dioxide bubbles that help things like cakes, muffins and cookies rise quickly.

Baking powder, on the other hand, is made with baking soda plus a powdered acidic ingredient (such as cream of tartar) and starch, meaning it only needs liquid and heat to get to work.

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Because baking soda is much stronger than baking powder, recipes typically call for it in smaller amounts. Too much baking soda can leave baked goods with a metallic or soapy taste, while the right amount encourages browning and creates crisp, chewy textures in cookies and quick breads.

Baking powder produces a gentler, more controlled rise, making it ideal for recipes that need a lighter, fluffier texture, such as pancakes, biscuits and vanilla cakes. Many modern baking powders are also ‘double-acting’, meaning they react once when mixed with liquid and again when heated in the oven for extra lift.

Is baking soda and the same as bicarb soda?

Yes! Baking soda and bicarb soda are exactly the same ingredient. ‘Bicarb soda’ short for bicarbonate of soda, is the term more commonly used here in Australia, as well as in New Zealand and the UK, while ‘baking soda’ is the standard name in the United States and Canada. Both refer to sodium bicarbonate, a fast-acting chemical leavener used in baking to help doughs and batters rise when combined with acidic ingredients and moisture.

Despite the different names, the ingredient functions identically in recipes around the world. Whether a recipe calls for baking soda or bicarb soda, you can use the same product from your pantry without making any adjustments to quantity or technique.

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Can I use baking powder instead of baking soda (and vice versa)?

In short, no.

Baking powder and baking or bicarb soda may serve a similar purpose in baking, but they are not directly interchangeable. Because the two ingredients rely on different chemical reactions, substituting one for the other without adjusting the recipe can affect everything from flavour to texture.

The biggest difference between baking soda and baking powder comes down to strength. Baking soda is roughly three to four times more potent than baking powder, which is why recipes will call for very different quantities of each.

Credit: Chris Court

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Replacing baking soda with baking powder often requires using several times more to achieve a similar lift, which can alter the taste and consistency of the batter. On the other hand, using baking soda in place of baking powder without enough acid in the recipe can leave baked goods with a metallic or soapy flavour and an uneven rise.

Swapping baking soda for baking powder can lead to flat, dense or bitter baked goods, while replacing baking powder with baking soda may cause a batter to rise too quickly before collapsing. Although both ingredients help baked goods rise, each one plays a different role in the final flavour, texture and appearance of everything from brownies to birthday cakes.

Timing can also be tricky to follow if you try substituting, as baking soda begins reacting immediately once it comes into contact with acid and moisture, meaning batters usually need to be baked right away to preserve the air bubbles created during the reaction.

Credit: Brett Stevens

Double-acting baking powder works more gradually, releasing gas both during mixing and again in the oven, allowing a little more flexibility if a batter needs to sit for a few minutes before baking. So essentially, it may be an easier bake if you have both baking powder and baking soda on hand.

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