What year was baking powder invented?

There's no single year that can be pinpointed as the invention of baking powder. Here's why:

* Early forms: Early forms of leavening agents, like mixtures of cream of tartar and baking soda, existed long before the term "baking powder" was used. These mixtures were often made at home.

* Commercialization: The commercialization of baking powder is a gradual process. Several individuals and companies developed and marketed their own versions of baking powder throughout the 19th century.

* Key milestones:

* 1843: Alfred Bird, an English chemist, developed a baking powder using cream of tartar and bicarbonate of soda.

* 1856: Eben Norton Horsford, an American chemist, patented a baking powder formula.

Therefore, it's more accurate to say that baking powder emerged as a commercially available product in the mid-19th century.