I was recently asked about the difference between baking powder and baking soda. Attempting to recall this topic from my food science class some 30 years ago failed and a little research was in order. I came across a great article by Claire Saffitz, a freelance recipe developer that explained things perfectly. 

Baking powder and baking soda have many things in common. They’re both chemical leaveners, meaning they produce gas during the mixing and baking of a batter or dough that raises or aerates baked goods. Anything you’re baking (cakes, muffins, quick breads) that doesn’t include yeast needs chemical leaveners to create lift, along with a light texture.

Chemically speaking, baking soda is sodium bicarbonate. When it comes in contact with both a liquid and an acid (think buttermilk, yogurt, citrus juice, or vinegar) it produces carbon dioxide gas or bubbles. These gas bubbles produce the rise needed for baked goods. Saffitz pointed out that this reaction starts as soon as the ingredients are mixed together, so baked goods calling only for baking soda should go into the oven as soon as possible before the reaction peters out.

Baking powder contains sodium bicarbonate along with a powdered acid, like cream of tartar, mixed in. This means baking powder just needs moisture for the bubbly reaction to occur, no acidic ingredients are necessary.

Most baking powder in the grocery store is called double-acting, meaning it has a two-part reaction. The first reaction starts right when the powder comes in contact with moisture. The second reaction occurs more slowly as the batter is heated. Baking powder is a bit more forgiving in that the batter can sit for a bit before baking and still rise.

Because recipes vary widely in acidity levels, both baking soda and baking powder are often used in baked goods to get the proper rise and preferred texture. The amounts of baking soda and baking powder in recipes need to be in some sort of balance to get the perfect lift.

As long as I don’t get a flat quick bread or overflowing muffins, I tend to use a little more baking powder than baking soda in baked good recipes like today’s Apple Carrot Bread.

The rationale for that actually has to do with the sodium content of these two leavening agents. One teaspoon of baking powder has 550 milligrams of sodium and the same amount of baking soda has 1,250 milligrams. Simple, undetectable ways to lower the sodium content of recipes is always a good thing.

Darlene Zimmerman is a registered dietitian in Henry Ford Hospital’s Heart & Vascular Institute. For questions about today’s recipe, call 313-972-1920.

Serves: 12   /  Prep time: 15 minutes   /  Total time: 1 hour plus cooling time

Vegetable oil cooking spray

¼ cup low-fat vanilla Greek yogurt

¼ cup canola oil

½ cup brown sugar, packed

¼ cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

¾ cup all-purpose flour

¾ cup white whole-wheat flour

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

⅛ teaspoon salt

¾ cup shredded apple

¾ cup shredded carrot

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8-by-4-inch loaf pan with cooking spray; set aside.

In a large bowl, beat yogurt, oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar, egg and vanilla with an electric mixer on medium speed until combined. In a separate bowl, combine all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir flour mixture into sugar mixture until just combined, being careful not to over mix.

Squeeze shredded apple to remove excess liquid and gently fold into batter along with shredded carrot. Pour batter into loaf pan. Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool bread in pan on wire rack for 20 minutes. Remove bread from pan and cool completely on wire rack.

Created by Kelsey Dischler, Henry Ford Hospital Dietetic Intern. Tested by Darlene Zimmerman, MS, RD, for Heart Smart®.

168 calories (27% from fat), 5 grams fat (1 grams sat. fat, 0 grams trans fat), 28 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams protein, 133 mg sodium, 16 mg cholesterol, 46 mg calcium, 2 grams fiber. Food exchanges:  2 starch, ½ fat

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