# Homemade baking powder ....has anyone else tried it?



## Reblazed (Nov 11, 2010)

Never guessed you could make your own baking powder, works beautifully ... one more thing I don't have to have stock up on.

*Homemade Baking Powder
*

1/4 cup cream of tarter

2 tablespoons baking soda

* Sift all of the ingredients together 3 times, and transfer to a clean, tight-sealing jar. Store at room temperature, away from sunlight, for up to 6 weeks.​
Use the same amount of this recipe in place of commercial baking powder.

_Scott Peacock & Edna Lewis, The Gift of Southern Cooking_


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## bunkerbob (Sep 29, 2009)

Haven't used it yet, but have bulk stored the ingredients, they will last much longer if stored separately.


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## BadgeBunny (Nov 2, 2010)

This is a trick my grandmother taught me. I have never used "store bought" baking powder.

Another thing she taught me ... moisture is what activiates baking powder. Even the moisture in the air can cause it to go "flat" ... even in a can. Cream of tartar and baking soda stored separately are non-reactive.

I don't "make" my baking powder until it is time to use it.

Like bunkerbob I have found that basic ingredients (for lots of premade mixes) stored separately and mixed when you need them stay fresher longer.


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## wildone_uk (Aug 9, 2010)

did not know this, thanks


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## NaeKid (Oct 17, 2008)

From the website "Joy of Baking"



> Baking powder consists of baking soda, one or more acid salts (cream of tartar and sodium aluminum sulfate) plus cornstarch to absorb any moisture so a reaction does not take place until a liquid is added to the batter. Most baking powder used today is double-acting which means it reacts to liquid and heat and happens in two stages. The first reaction takes place when you add the baking powder to the batter and it is moistened. One of the acid salts reacts with the baking soda and produces carbon dioxide gas. The second reaction takes place when the batter is placed in the oven. The gas cells expand causing the batter to rise. Because of the two stages, baking of the batter can be delayed for about 15-20 minutes without it losing its leavening power.


There is a side-bar on that link posted above with the "rules" for testing baking-powder and baking-soda's effectiveness. It also describes where Cream of Tartar comes from - surprised me!

I was trying to find a recipe for making my own baking-soda when I found this tidbit of info. I find it interesting that cornstarch is used to keep moisture under control. It makes me wonder, should I be transferring my cornstarch from the cardboard shipping container to something a little more moisture-proof?


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## The_Blob (Dec 24, 2008)

NaeKid said:


> From the website "Joy of Baking"
> 
> I was trying to find a recipe for making my own baking-soda when I found this tidbit of info. I find it interesting that cornstarch is used to keep moisture under control. It makes me wonder, should I be transferring my cornstarch from the cardboard shipping container to something a little more moisture-proof?


I get mine in the large foil lined cans, it lasts a pretty long time


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## NaeKid (Oct 17, 2008)

Blob - the CornStarch that I can get here is in a cardboard box with a wax-paper insert - the cornstarch is "protected" by the wax-paper which is similar to the wax-paper of the good-old-days that were used in cereal-boxes.


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## Emerald (Jun 14, 2010)

I keep all of my baking supplies in glass jars-I had a break out of nasty meal/Indian flour millers/pantry moths* years ago and while I haven't had any problems lately it pays to keep all that stuff sealed up well and dry.
*A very nice Amish woman told me to go and buy some bay leaves and put them around the pantry on the shelves and even one or two in the jars with the dry goods it would keep the moths away and it does!

I also vac-pack the jars if I have the time and stuff stays so nice--even my powdered sugar that got used up this summer was from about 2 years ago and it wasn't hard or clumpy or anything.
And it seems that Cream of Tartar has something to do with wine making--a tartaric acid being a by product of wine? Great Now I gotta go search it, or it will bug me all day! Ahhhh I was right it is from making wine.


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