What Does Baking Soda Do?
Ever wonder why we add baking soda to dough? Well, baking soda is a key ingredient in baking because it helps the dough rise.
This simple chemical compound, also known as sodium bicarbonate, is naturally found in crystal form and then ground into a powder for cooking.
What Does Baking Soda Do?
Baking soda is an alkaline compound that, when mixed with an acid, creates carbon dioxide. These little bubbles of carbon dioxide get trapped in the dough, causing it to puff up.
In baking, acids like vinegar, lemon juice, buttermilk, and yogurt are commonly used to react with the baking soda.
When baking soda is heated, it also releases carbon dioxide, but the reaction is more intense when an acid is present.
So, next time you’re baking and wondering why you need baking soda, just remember it’s all about those bubbles making your dough rise to perfection!
How to Properly Use Baking Soda and Vinegar?
If you’ve ever followed your grandma’s recipes, you’ve probably come across the technique of using slaked soda in baked goods. Typically, you’d pour vinegar into a glass, add soda, give it a stir, and watch the magic happen before adding it to your dough.
But here’s the thing – sometimes baked goods end up tasting bitter or not rising properly.
Why? Because the soda reacted with the vinegar in the glass, not in the dough itself.
This means that most of the gas bubbles needed for fluffy baking disappear, leaving behind a dense texture.
To avoid this issue, try adding vinegar and soda separately. Start by mixing baking soda into the dry ingredients, then pour vinegar into the wet ones. Mix everything together and pop your creation into the oven.
This way, the baking soda reacts with the vinegar in the dough, creating bubbles that help the cake rise. Plus, the soda is neutralized, so your baked goods won’t have that bitter aftertaste.
Can Baking Soda Go Bad?
Wondering how to check if your baking soda is still good to use? It’s easy!
Just mix a little vinegar and a pinch of baking soda in a glass. If it starts foaming up like crazy, your baking soda is still effective.
Make sure to do this test over the sink, because the reaction can get pretty foamy.
Here you also can learn Does Baking Powder Go Bad and How to Check It.
Which Is Better: Baking Soda or Baking Powder?
Now, let’s talk about the age-old debate: baking soda vs. baking powder.
Baking soda is a basic lye, while baking powder is baking soda mixed with an acid. Baking soda only reacts with acids, while baking powder can react with any liquid, even water.
The acid in baking powder won’t react with the baking soda until you add some liquid to the mix.
Use baking soda in recipes with acidic ingredients like yogurt or buttermilk.
If your recipe doesn’t have many acidic components, go for baking powder instead, since it already has its own acid.
If you add baking soda to a recipe without enough acid, your baked goods might end up tasting bitter. That’s because the soda doesn’t have enough acid to balance it out, leaving a bitter taste behind.
Some recipes call for both baking soda and baking powder to get the best rise. The ratio you use will depend on how acidic the other ingredients are.
How Else Is Soda Used?
What are some other ways to use baking soda? Well, besides being great for baking, baking soda is also known for its odor-absorbing abilities.
That’s why you can put a little bowl of baking soda in the fridge or freezer to get rid of any funky smells.
But that’s not all – baking (or washing) soda is also a fantastic cleaning agent. Its tiny crystals and alkaline properties make it super effective at scrubbing away dirt and grime from surfaces. So next time you’re cleaning, don’t forget to reach for the baking soda!
