By providing a second rise in the oven, double-acting baking powders increase the reliability of baked goods by rendering the time elapsed between mixing and baking less critical. This is the type of baking powder most widely available to consumers today. Double-acting baking powders work in two phases; once when cold, and once when hot. [9] Acid type: moisture and/or heat reactivity are influenced by its physicochemical properties, such as solubility and dissociation extent. You may have heard people say that there is a “science to baking,” and there really is! Baking powder is a chemistry experiment in a can. This leavening powder is a mixture of a base, an acid, and a buffering agent to prevent the chemical reaction from happening too early. You can make your own single-action baking powder at home by combining, baking soda (the base), cream of tartar (the acid), and cornstarch (the buffering agent). The ratio is one-part baking soda and cornstarch to two-parts cream of tartar. For example, to make one cup of baking powder, combine: I would have to say that the flavor of the first loaf had a slightly metallic aftertaste. Although others in my house disagree. A fast-acting acid reacts in a wet mixture with baking soda at room temperature, and a slow-acting acid does not react until heated. When the chemical reactions in baking powders involve both fast- and slow-acting acids, they are known as "double-acting"; those that contain only one acid are "single-acting". [9] [10]

Edwards, W.P. (2007). The Science of Bakery Products. Royal Society of Chemistry. p.73. ISBN 9780854044863 . Retrieved 2009-08-12. Different brands of baking powder can perform quite differently in the oven. Early baking powder companies published their own cookbooks, to promote their new products, to educate cooks about exactly how and when to use them, and because cooks could not easily adapt recipes that were developed using different types of baking powder. Baking powders using cream-of-tartar, phosphates, or alums could behave very differently, and required different amounts for a desired rising effect. [3] Which brings us to our recipe! Any one can Bake, Royal Baking Powder Corporation, 1928. From the Homestead Museum collection.Royal, however, was soon facing another PR concern. After the bribery scandal, it was discovered that the company had actually been using alum in its baking powders that were sold in the South. Zeigler died in 1905, and in 1929, the Royal Baking Powder Corporation merged with Fleischmann Company (the makers of the yeast brand) and two additional food production companies to form Standard Brands.

I found this recipe in a copy of the 1928 cookbook, Any one can Bake, published by the Royal Baking Powder Corporation, and one of many cookbooks in the Homestead’s collection. This simple recipe is very straightforward and makes a light and tasty loaf, a slice of which is absolutely delicious when lightly toasted and served with a little jam on top. As of 2010, the two main baking powder companies in the United States were Clabber Girl and Calumet. Calumet held about 1/3 of the American baking powder market, with Clabber Girl (which produces the Clabber Girl, Rumford, and Davis brands of baking powder, among others) dominating 2/3. [3] :187–188 [42] (Davis baking powder is commonly found in the northeastern United States.) [43] How much to use [ edit ] Effective baking powder foams when placed in hot water. a b Corriher, S.O. (2008). BakeWise: The Hows and Whys of Successful Baking with Over 200 Magnificent Recipes. Scribner. ISBN 9781416560838 . Retrieved 2014-10-25. a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad Civitello, Linda (2017). Baking powder wars: the cutthroat food fight that revolutionized cooking. Urbana: University of Illinois Press. pp.45, 70–74. ISBN 978-0252041082. Store this Royal Tea Bread in an airtight tin for up to a week, it stays fresh for quite a long time.In the U.S., in 1866, Joseph C. Hoagland and his brother Cornelius developed a baking powder product with the help of Thomas M. Biddle. [3] :70–74 They sold a single-action baking powder containing cream of tartar, bicarbonate of soda and starch. Their formula became known as Royal Baking Powder. [32] As described above, baking powder is mainly just baking soda mixed with an acid. In principle, a number of kitchen acids may be combined with baking soda to simulate commercial baking powders. Vinegar (dilute acetic acid), especially white vinegar, is also a common acidifier in baking; for example, many heirloom chocolate cake recipes call for a tablespoon or two of vinegar. [46] Where a recipe already uses buttermilk or yogurt, baking soda can be used without cream of tartar (or with less). Alternatively, lemon juice can be substituted for some of the liquid in the recipe, to provide the required acidity to activate the baking soda. The main variable with the use of these kitchen acids is the rate of leavening. In the 1860s, Horsford shared his formula for baking powder with his former teacher, Justus von Liebig, who in turn shared it with Ludwig Clamor Marquart and Carl Zimmer in Germany. Baking powders based on Horsford's formula were sold in England as "Horsford-Liebig Baking Powder". They were also sold by several companies in Germany, beginning with Marquart and with Zimmer. However, baking powder was not successful in Germany at that time. Much of German baking occurred in guild-based bakeries, rather than in private homes, and the guilds were not interested in replacing centuries-old craft skills with a new technology. [3] :33–44 [30] Nonetheless, Liebig clearly saw the importance of Horsford's work, stating: Artisanal baker Fritz Schoon adds, “ The Taste Master SA will challenge every aspect of your baking skill set. It will reveal your character, your grit and your desire for success. It will refine your vision in the process. We can’t wait to put a new batch of bakers to the ultimate test.”