Baking powder

Baking powder is a common ingredient used in baking to make cakes, muffins, and breads rise and become fluffy. It is a white powder usually made from a combination of baking soda, cream of tartar, and a moisture-absorbing agent like cornstarch. Baking powder is not naturally occurring, but it is made in factories to help bakers achieve light and airy baked goods.

To make baking powder, manufacturers carefully mix baking soda (which helps with the rising) with an acid substance like cream of tartar (which activates the baking soda) and usually add a starch or flour component to absorb any moisture and prevent the mixture from clumping together. The ingredients are blended in precise amounts, ensuring that when added to dough or batter and exposed to heat, the mixture produces carbon dioxide gas, which causes the mixture to rise and create a soft, fluffy texture in baked goods.

Baking powder is listed on food labels because it is essential for making baked goods rise during baking. Without baking powder, cakes and bread would be flat and dense instead of light and spongy. You can find baking powder in a variety of baked treats like cakes, muffins, scones, pancakes, and biscuits. It's a handy ingredient that helps achieve the perfect texture and volume in all your favourite baked delights.

Foods in the CalorieStar database containing Baking powder