Ever have one of those days were you are in the mood to bake but you can not find any baking powder in your home? Or you don’t feel like getting dressed and heading out to the store to pick up some? Or you’re in the middle of a baking frenzy and you run out? Me too! To help you out of this situation I have listed below how to make your own baking powder from ingredients right in your kitchen.
Baking powder is a key ingredient in many cake, cookie and bread recipes. According to Wikipedia it’s “a dry chemical leavening agent used to increase the volume and lighten the texture of baked goods…”[1] “The first modern version….was discovered by Alfred Bird in 1843.[3] An extensive history about baking powder can be found at whatscookingamerica.net. “Baking powders are available both with and without aluminum compounds. Some people prefer not to use baking powder with aluminum because they believe it gives food a vaguely metallic taste, and because of speculations on the connection between aluminum intake and diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease.[1]
Here’s how to make your own baking powder:
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar (tartaric acid)
- 1 teaspoon corn starch, Rumford non-GMO (optional)
Mix the baking soda and cream of tartar together until well combined. Use immediately.
Yield: One tablespoon of baking powder.
To store baking powder: If you aren’t going to immediately use all the baking powder you made, simply add 1/4 teaspoon of corn starch to the mixture, and stir. This will absorb any moisture from the air, and prevent the baking powder from reacting before you need it. Make sure you store it in an air-tight container.
Did You Know? Most commercially produced baking powder contains aluminum — sodium aluminum sulfate to be exact. Make your own baking powder and keep your baked goods aluminum-free. There is one commercially available aluminum-free brand out there, Rumford (available in New England and northeastern US).
Is my baking powder still good? Has it been a while since you did some baking and you’re not sure your baking powder is still good? Drop a teaspoon of baking powder into a cup of hot water. If it bubbles heavily, the baking powder is still good. If it doesn’t, it’s time to buy another can. If the can is over a year old, or if it looks ‘chunky’, toss it out and get a new one.[2]
Resources used:
edible euphoria 
Love it! Especially the education and usefulness! AWESOME! Baking soda also has good uses as a cleaner with either vinegar or lime. If you have a respiratory illness or are pregnant, it is much better for you than premade household cleaner fumes.
Thanks for this post.