Which acidic ingredients work with Baking Soda?

I have already mentioned the use of baking soda in a couple of articles on the site. Last week I wrote an extensive article on how to use baking soda and the differences with baking powder.

Baking soda is also known as bicarbonate of soda or soda bicarbonate, has leavening power and is able to make your baked goods rise. It creates a chemical reaction in combination with an acidic component. Combine the two together and you basically create carbon dioxide gas.

Most common ingredients that work with baking soda

In today’s post I’m giving you the most common acidic ingredients. While some might look obvious others might surprise you!

Baking soda is pretty well known in the United States and is becoming increasingly popular in the Netherlands. Which is good news as it can be found in almost any grocery stores.

As I mentioned baking soda needs a type of acid to form that acid-base reaction you’re looking for. The reaction will create air bubbles and will give your cupcakes, pancakes or whatever else you’re baking an airy texture. Ingredients like lemon juice, vinegar or another kind of citrus juice are the obvious choices, but there are many other possible ingredients that have the presence of an acid. I have made a handy overview for you to fall back on if you need more information.

Ingredients that work with baking soda

Some of the acidic ingredients are obvious and most of you will know their names. But there are also ingredients that don’t taste acidic or sour at all, but still have an acidic ingredient in their composition that baking soda reacts to. Natural cocoa powder for instance, I knew myself, but in my research for this article I found many more that will create the same effect. The list includes both dry ingredients and wet ingredients. Obviously the ingredient you pick will have to fit with whatever else the recipe calls for.

• lemon juice
• baking powder (it already contains the acid)
• vinegar
• buttermilk
• yogurt
• cocoa powder
• Honey
• cream of tartar
• tartaric acid
• orange juice
• lime juice
• grape juice
• sour cream
• chocolate
• maple syrup
• sugar syrup
• brown sugar

So the ingredients in this list will work with baking soda, but there are many more. Even ketchup works because it has vinegar in it, although you probably won’t be baking with ketchup anytime soon (nothing sweet anyway). Many fruit purees will also work, as will fruit and vegetable juices. But the listed ingredients work best. Of course, if you have any additions, I would love to hear about them!

Hopefully this list will help you and not leave you wondering why there is baking soda in a recipe but no obvious acidic ingredient.