Can you use baking powder instead of soda for cooking?

You can't directly substitute baking powder for baking soda. They are both leavening agents, but they work differently:

* Baking soda is a base, and needs an acidic ingredient to react and produce carbon dioxide bubbles for rising.

* Baking powder is already a combination of baking soda, an acid (like cream of tartar), and a drying agent (like cornstarch). It reacts with moisture and heat to create those bubbles.

Here's why you can't just swap them:

* No Acidic Ingredient: If you use baking soda without an acid, your baked good won't rise properly.

* Different Reactivity: Baking powder reacts more quickly than baking soda, so substituting it may lead to a flat or dense baked good.

When to use baking powder vs. baking soda:

* Baking powder: Use for cakes, cookies, muffins, pancakes, and quick breads that don't contain acidic ingredients.

* Baking soda: Use for recipes that include acidic ingredients like buttermilk, brown sugar, honey, molasses, or citrus juice.

If you don't have baking powder:

* You can create a homemade baking powder substitute using:

* 1 teaspoon baking soda

* 2 teaspoons cream of tartar

* Important: This substitute is not as potent as store-bought baking powder, so you might need to adjust the amount used in your recipe.

Remember, always follow the recipe instructions carefully for best results.