What is Baking Soda?

The term baking soda describes a leavening agent that you often find in American recipes. In German, baking soda is nothing more than baking soda, which also distinguishes it from baking powder. Because although both leavening agents allow the dough to rise, they are not arbitrarily interchangeable. Both baking soda and baking powder produce CO2 during the baking process, which makes the dough airy and fluffy. What baking soda lacks, however, is acidity, which is why cake or muffin recipes made with baking soda often include acidic ingredients like buttermilk, vinegar, or citric acid. A yogurt is also an option.

At the same time, baking soda is a component of baking powder, which normally also has acidifiers added to it: that’s the difference. By the way, you get a particularly airy dough if the recipe contains both baking powder and baking soda. Because together, the two leavening agents unfold their effect even more intensively.

Tip: If you would like to bake without animal products, the expert knows which vegan products are suitable as egg substitutes.

Using Baking Soda: Raising Agents and Household Helpers

Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate or cooking soda, isn’t just for baking. It also serves as a versatile household helper. In combination with grated curd soap, you can mix an all-purpose cleaner or buy baking soda first to mix with water to loosen contamination in the oven or on baking sheets. Baking soda is also suitable for cleaning ceramic hobs.

But back to the kitchen: If you roast dried chickpeas with a little baking soda for about a minute after soaking and before cooking, in order to then immediately add water and bring to the boil, you break open the hard shell a little. This in turn shortens the cooking process. Or you can use baking soda as an ingredient for our pretzels. At the same time, by the way, you can also use mineral water as a helper for cooking and baking. Soda, on the other hand, is also suitable if you want to neutralize odors in textiles.