Homemade Baking Powder

[Susie Q]

The January issue of Gourmet, and the March issue of Bon Appetit feature southern food articles with Scott Peacock. They offer the late Edna Lewis' recommendation and a recipe for homemade baking powder using cream of tartar and baking soda; saying it tastes better and avoids the chemicals and preservatives that are used in commercial BP. Her books also have a recipe for her HBP.

With the exception of sugar cookies, and another recipe or two, I've never really used cream of tartar. I want to try the HBP and I'm curious....

Anybody have experience using homemade baking powder? What were your results and thoughts?

Edited February 20, 2008 by Susie Q (log)

[sanrensho]

The formula for the homemade baking powder can be found here.

I was also looking at this the other day and want to try it.

Edited February 20, 2008 by sanrensho (log)

[cathrynapple]

I don't really see the point, unless you don't have any in the house and you do have cream of tartar and baking soda. If you're really a stickler about preservatives and don't want the tiny amount in baking powder, than I guess it's a personal choice.

[helenjp]

I do use it when I can't find decent baking powder here - no great difference, but be careful not to be heavy-handed with baking soda, as it can be bitter in mild-flavored cakes.

[etalanian]

Homemade baking powder is single-acting. The stuff we buy in the grocery store is double acting.

The difference is that in double-acting baking powder there is a reaction when the moisture of what you are mixing combines with the baking powder, then there is another reaction when the heat hits the baking powder.

Homemade baking powder only has the first reaction, so you need to get it into the oven right away - no dilly dallying.

FWIW, I prefer using homemade baking powder in biscuits because I can taste the chemicals in the store-bought when I use it for biscuits.

Everyone's body chemistry is different, so not everyone will taste the same things in the same way.

Eileen

Edited February 20, 2008 by etalanian (log)

[beauxbrie]

Since I read it in Saveur quite a few years ago, I quit buying baking powder and bought a case of Bakewell Cream--which is a substitute for cream of tartar. You mix it with baking soda to make baking powder just like you would cream of tartar.

It is aluminum-free, so no metallic taste.

It also has a long shelf life--I just mix a small jar at a time of baking powder.

I have been happy with how it works.

[Joe Blowe]

I don't really see the point, unless you don't have any in the house and you do have cream of tartar and baking soda.

Exactly, and that is why the recipe is helpful for some living abroad.

[beauregard]

1) When I mix up some fresh baking powder, should I let it sit for 20 minutes before adding it to the (moist) cake mix?

2) or should I add it immediately to the mix?

If (2), should I put the mix in the oven right away or wait 20 minutes?

3) What's the shelf life of home-make baking powder? I've heard that it's short, but can I make some up and refridgerate it sealed for a few days?

[andiesenji]

You have to get the proportions correct (by weight) and it can be tricky to use and won't always work perfectly.

I used to fiddle around with making my own but once I discovered Featherweight Baking Powder, I use that exclusively.

It contains no cornstarch, no salt, no aluminum, and is gluten-free.

Two years ago I shipped several containers to a friend in Australia because she could not find a comparable product and she distributed the extras to a few friends.

If you absolutely are determined to make your own, note that you do have to use it up fairly rapidly unless you can seal it in a container so it is not exposed to the air. If you live in a very dry climate, it will last longer but if it is humid or rains often, it will absorb moisture from the air and will not retain its leavening properties.

[Shalmanese]

If you're really opposed to commercial baking powder and it's double action (personally, I don't see the point, I like the double action), instead of using homemade baking powder, I'd instead figure out how to convert baking powder recipes to baking soda recipes. Sub milk with buttermilk, add a squeeze of lemon, etc.

[andiesenji]

Since my earlier post, I looked in some of my old cookbooks and they all indicate that after adding the "liquid" to the dry ingredients, you must get the batter into the oven within ten minutes of mixing.

Some homemade recipes specify the addition of cornstarch - this doesn't do anything for the action but keeps moisture from affecting the mixture. They generally advise to mix small amounts 1 part baking soda to 2 parts Cream of Tartar, and use it within a week.

A cookbook from South Carolina advises that the baking powder mix be prepared fresh each day - probably because of the high humidity in the lowcountry.

I have a note I added to one of my baking books many years ago that states. "Homemade baking powder produces odd effects at high altitude. Expect lots of "doming" and uneven rise especially in sheet cakes."

Unfortunately I didn't bother to explain this statement.

Edited February 13, 2012 by andiesenji (log)

[SylviaLovegren]

The reason to use homemade bp rather than bought is that most of the retail baking powders have aluminum in them and I absolutely hate the taste. There are a few commercial bps that don't have it and they pass the taste test for me. But that underlying metallic flavor in aluminum containing baking powder is just horrid.